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County public health: no evidence of school spread after TB case, tests ongoing
Summary
Ventura County Public Health told the Santa Paula Unified board that testing of contacts after an active tuberculosis case at a district school found no evidence of in-school transmission; the county completed on-site testing with 97% results and plans repeat testing in about 10 weeks.
Ventura County Public Health Officer Dr. Aldine Castell told the Santa Paula Unified School District board that the county investigated an active tuberculosis (TB) case identified in one district school and, after testing close contacts, found no evidence that the disease spread within the school.
"There was no evidence of any transmission in the school," Castell said, adding that contact testing had returned results for about 97% of those identified and that the county will perform a follow-up blood test about 10 weeks after the initial screen.
Castell gave the board a brief primer on TB, distinguishing latent (inactive) infection from active disease and warning that only active TB is contagious. She said TB spreads by expelled respiratory air and that, unlike fast-moving respiratory viruses, TB typically requires many hours of exposure for transmission. The county used a concentric-circle approach: identify the person with active TB, trace those with long-duration exposure, test that close circle, and expand testing only if transmission appears.
The county set up makeshift testing clinics on campus and offered chest X-rays and clinic follow-up for anyone with a positive blood test. Castell said people with a positive blood test do not necessarily have active disease; chest imaging and clinical evaluation determine whether treatment is needed. She praised school staff and families for cooperating with the investigation.
Board members asked why the county did not test the broader community. Castell replied that testing everyone rarely helps identify those at highest risk and that the county follows CDC and California Department of Public Health guidance to focus on those with prolonged exposure; the county enlarges testing only if transmission is detected.
Next steps: the county will run the second screening ten weeks after the initial tests; anyone who tests positive on bloodwork will be evaluated and treated as needed through the county clinic. Castell offered to be available for further questions and follow-up with district staff.
What this means: school leaders and public health officials said the coordinated response limited disruption while prioritizing testing for those most at risk. The county's finding that no in-school transmission was detected is the current status; repeat testing is planned and could change the assessment only if new positive tests suggest transmission.
