Multnomah County health officials have confirmed an active case of tuberculosis at a Portland middle school.
Officials said Thursday that a person may have been contagious for eight months at Lane Middle School in Southeast Portland. The county did not say if the person was a student.
People who came in contact with the person from Sept. 3, 2024, to May 1, 2025, may have been exposed to the bacterial infection, officials said. People who were potentially exposed have been notified by email by the health department.
County officials said the disease is difficult to catch and spreads through close face-to-face contact, with contact typically taking place daily over a period of several weeks or months. They stressed, however, that it’s important to be treated to avoid serious illness. The infection is effectively treated through medication.
Health officials said there is little risk to the general public at this time and they are not aware of any additional cases connected to the individual.
“Fortunately, most people who have had casual contact with a person diagnosed with tuberculosis will not become infected,” Multnomah County Health Officer Dr. Richard Bruno said in a statement. “And most people who become infected will never become ill with tuberculosis, especially with current medication regimens.”
Bruno said the disease can be difficult to diagnose because it progresses so slowly. It’s not yet clear how the person got sick.
The county is currently monitoring 23 other active cases throughout the county, officials said.
Last year, the Oregon Health Authority reported 87 cases of tuberculosis statewide. It was the second consecutive annual increase, according to the health authority. County officials said they work with around 30 cases a year.
Tuberculosis is a bacterial disease that typically affects the lungs, and was once the leading cause of death in the United States, according to the health agency.
Symptoms of active tuberculosis include a cough, pain in the chest, and coughing up blood or phlegm. Many people can carry the bacteria without showing symptoms, known as latent tuberculosis. Those people are not contagious but may become sick later if untreated.
Officials encouraged families or school staff to call the county’s Tuberculosis Clinic at 503-988-4306 if they have questions. The Health Department will provide free blood tests to the school community “in the coming weeks,” the county said.
More information can be found on the county’s website.
— Austin De Dios covers Multnomah County politics, programs and more. Reach him at 503-319-9744, [email protected] or @AustinDeDios.
Our journalism needs your support. Subscribe today to OregonLive.com.
link