No TB in Aguila

By Patti Jares, Staff Writer

The Wickenburg Sun received an anonymous tip last week, falsely stating that three Aguila Elementary students had tuberculosis (TB). After investigating the information, it was discovered that there are no active cases of the disease in the area.

According to Aguila Elementary School Principal Don German, an older gentleman in town at one time had “a full blown case” of TB before he moved to Aguila, and although he is no longer contagious, he recently had a positive reaction to a TB test. His entire family was tested, and two of his grandchildren also had a positive reaction to the test. It was determined that the children did not have active TB, but latent TB infection. According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), latent TB infection is not contagious and can be treated with antibiotics to help prevent the disease from becoming active.

“The two grandchildren had a positive reaction and have been put on an antibiotic regimen to prevent tuberculosis,” said German, “but absolutely nobody has active tuberculosis. They are not contagious in any way.”

German and Aguila Elementary’s Community Liaison Fred Rose have been working with the Aguila community and Stacy Daily of the Maricopa County Health Department, paying the $5 cost for anyone interested in being tested for the disease.

“The county health department has been very proactive,” stated German, “and has assured me that there has been no exposure to active tuberculosis. If we did have a case of tuberculosis, not only would the school be quarantined, but everybody would have been tested.”

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