A contagious tuberculosis case has been confirmed at Lane Middle School, with exposure dating back six months. Health officials are working closely with the school to inform and protect students and staff
United States: A case of tuberculosis in a person at Lane Middle School has been reported, according to Multnomah County Health officials.
Authorities are still waiting to find out if the person diagnosed with TB is a student or employee at Lane Middle School.
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The diagnosed case of TB has been confirmed, yet officials found out in November 2025 that the person was contagious for at least six months beginning in September 2024.
Tuberculosis is an infectious disease that targets the lungs. The infection is transmitted by spending a lengthy time with a person who has TB.
According to Multnomah County Health Officer Dr. Richard Bruno, “Fortunately, most people who have had casual contact with a person diagnosed with tuberculosis will not become infected,” katu.com reported.
Officials have not yet confirmed if the infected individual was a student or a staff member at the school. Although the TB case was only recently diagnosed, health officials say the individual was contagious for more than six months.https://t.co/vLFTl6WFtT
— KATU News (@KATUNews) May 16, 2025
“And most people who become infected will never become ill with tuberculosis, especially with current medication regimens. While tuberculosis can be spread in school settings, we expect that anyone infected would not yet be ill and could be effectively treated with medication,” Bruno added.
Medication can effectively cure those with tuberculosis. The Multnomah County Health Department created a few frequently asked questions about TB so the community is well-informed about the condition. Authorities have contacted anyone who could have come in contact with the infected person.
“The Multnomah County Health Department is working closely with Portland Public Schools, the Multnomah Education and Service District, and leadership at Lane Middle School to take all the necessary public health actions to keep students and staff in the wider community as healthy as possible,” as Bruno added, katu.com reported.
Officials also stressed that it can be really challenging to diagnose.
“This particular individual had symptoms that were kind of mild for a while and got worse. It was eventually diagnosed,” Bruno continued during a virtual news conference.