Rhodes students attending classes and tutorials with a student recently diagnosed with multi-drug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) have been urged to go for TB screening.
Rhodes students attending classes and tutorials with a student recently diagnosed with multi-drug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) have been urged to go for TB screening.
The Dean of Students office confirmed that “the Department of Health has isolated a case of TB infection on campus,” and the infected student has been sent home.
Students and staff who may have come into regular contact with the unnamed student were notified by email.
“The [university]Health Care Centre has blocked out the 8-9am slot daily for testing,” the email read.
Staff at the Rhodes Health Care Centre declined to give any information regarding the number of students and staff who had gone for screening, however.
TB is passed on through droplet infection like being coughed or sneezed on, or touching surfaces where infected moisture has been dispersed.
People with compromised immune systems (the very old, the very young, those already suffering from another illness, as well as those with HIV), are at the highest risk of contracting the disease.
According to statistics released by Health Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi, South Africa has the third-highest TB infection rate in the world; and 1 782 cases of MDR-TB infections were reported in the Eastern Cape alone in 2010.
While most students’ immune systems are strong enough to ward off infection, risk of infection still remains, especially due to the extended time window in which TB symptoms may manifest.
The most common symptoms include night sweats, coughing for several weeks, weight loss and swollen glands.
