Central District Health Conducting a Tuberculosis Investigation 

BOISE, Nov. 29, 2022 — Central District Health (CDH) has confirmed that an individual residing in the Centennial High School Attendance area has been diagnosed with TB. The individual attended Centennial High School for 50 days between May and October 2022. 

At this time, there is no known ongoing risk for TB exposure at the school and it is safe for students and staff to attend school and participate in activities as usual. The general public is not at an increased risk of getting TB as a result of this case.

CDH is working with Centennial High School and West Ada School District to conduct a contact investigation to identify if any TB transmission might have occurred at the school. This week, letters will be sent to all staff and parents of students who potentially came in contact with the individual and need TB testing. 

No persons other than those contacted directly by CDH will need to take action. Staff and students who are notified that they may have been exposed are encouraged to get tested for TB through their primary care provider, Central District Health or the local health district closest to them. 

About Tuberculosis 
TB is a disease caused by bacteria spread through the air, usually through repeated and prolonged exposure in a confined indoor space. It often affects the lungs but may also affect other parts of the body. 

• Most people who are exposed to TB do not get infected. 
• People who are infected cannot give TB to others unless they are sick with TB. 
• Typical symptoms of tuberculosis disease are a chronic cough, fever, or night sweats that are persistent for several weeks and usually get worse. 

People experiencing chronic symptoms who think they may have been exposed to TB should call their primary care provider. Most cases of TB are treatable with antibiotics that are commonly available. 

Tuberculosis in Idaho 
In Idaho, there were five TB cases reported in 2021, three of those were in Ada County. TB case counts and information is tracked by the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare and can be found here.

Additional facts about TB are available on the Central District Health website at here.

About Central District Health
Central District Health, Public Health District IV, is one of seven public health districts within the state of Idaho, serving the counties of Ada, Boise, Elmore, and Valley. With a vision of Healthy People in Healthy Communities, CDH’s emphasis is on decreasing risk factors for chronic disease, improving quality of life and increasing the years of healthy life among residents.

Contact: 
Maria Ortega, Communications Manager
Office: 208-327-8639 | Cell 208-871-1712
mortega@cdh.idaho.gov | cdh.idaho.gov/news

###