Twenty-five students and staff at Bowling Green High School have been identified as having a possible risk of exposure to a student with tuberculosis.

District superintendent Joe Tinius said that the parents of students identified as at risk will receive a letter today informing them of the situation and urging students to undergo a free TB skin test between 12:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. Tuesday at the high school.

“We’ve scheduled these tests for next week for 25 students and staff based on the parameters the health department has provided us,” Tinius said.

Tinius and other school district officials have been meeting with the Barren River District Health Department daily for more than a week.

On Aug. 19, the health department notified the school district of a pending case of a student exhibiting symptoms of TB.

The investigation was disclosed to the public at a news conference Friday at the Joel C. Brown Administration Building and students were notified that afternoon through letters.

Communicable disease nurses with the health department have focused their investigation on a “concentric circle” of people who would have come into frequent, close contact with the affected student.

“They have identified individuals at high risk of exposure, and based on the results (of the skin tests), we will determine what direction to take going forward,” Tinius said.

Last week, Sharon Ray, registered nurse of communicable diseases for the health department, said the possible case of TB had yet to be confirmed, but medical treatment had begun for the student.

Crissy Rowland, health information director for the health department, said this morning that the investigation is continuing and the department is awaiting the results of tests conducted on the student to determine whether that person is infected with TB.

“We are waiting on lab confirmation - (infection) is highly suspected, but not confirmed,” Rowland said.

The skin test at the high school, which will be free to those recommended to take it, involves an injection in the forearm of a substance called tuberculin.

Results of the test are generally made known within 48 to 72 hours, and readings for this particular test will be held at BGHS between 12:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. Sept. 4.

A raised, hardened area often develops under the skin at the site of the injection - the size of that area determines whether the test for TB is positive or negative.

A negative result - one showing no signs of TB - will lead to a second skin test within 8-10 weeks, while a positive test will lead to a chest X-ray and medical evaluation.

Tuberculosis usually affects the lungs and is caused by germs that are spread from person to person through the air.

Symptoms of the disease include a cough that persists for longer than three weeks, fever, night sweats, chills, weight loss and weakness.

If untreated, the disease can be fatal.

It is possible for someone to contract the germs that cause TB but never become sick because the germs are inactive, a form of the disease called latent TB.

People who are not tested next week at the high school can schedule an appointment to be tested through the health department or another health care provider, but they will be responsible for paying for the test.