Experts Say There Is Little to Fear; Signs for Concerned Parents
While the discovery that a doctor at three Chicago-area hospitals has tuberculosis may have worried many parents, early signs indicate that there is little reason for concern.
Since it was first announced Friday that a resident who had rotated through Children's Memorial Hospital, Northwestern Memorial Hospital and Evanston Hospital has TB, testing done on her close friends and family members have returned showing no signs of the illness, reassuring officials that the woman was not highly contagious.
"At this point ... we are encouraged by initial, preliminary results," said Dr. Susan Gerber, speaking on behalf of the Chicago Department of Public Health. "We are encouraged that [friends and family] who the individual was with around that time are, so far, negative."
Gerber noted, however, that the department is continuing to investigate the situation and is considering possible new recommendations for TB testing for hospital personnel.
"I think right now it's possible that this situation could begin a conversation about how often physicians are tested for TB or how they're tested for TB," she said. "As we move forward, I'm sure those conversations would happen." Read more...
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