LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Tuberculosis testing started Monday morning at Durango High School; parents were informed last week at least 200 students might have been exposed to the disease.
A TB test is mandatory and required by law, according to Clark County School District, for all individuals identified as contacts.
The test is free and will be completed during school hours on Thursday, March 14.
Durango High School will have another round of testing in 8 to 10 weeks to make sure students didn't later develop tuberculosis.
RELATED: Durango HS students receive letter regarding TB exposure
Rusty Pasay is one of the many parents in disbelief a student had tested active-TB.
Pasay said he was aware his daughter had been tested.
"She texted me that she had her blood drawn or something like that," Pasay said.
Last week, the school district along with the SNHD discussed health concerns for the students and staff.
"You [would] never thought of it, you’d figure that thing was done and over with over 20 something years ago," Pasay said.
13 Action News was unable to confirm if the tests were done by drawing blood or doing a skin test but did ask SNHD why a TB-vaccine is not required in Nevada.
In response, SNHD spokesperson Stephanie Bethel said TB bacteria is not common in the U.S and that a vaccine could create false positive results.
It would make it appear a person would have bacteria even if they don't.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports on their website the Bacille Calmette-Guérin vaccine is for tuberculosis disease.
BCG should only be considered for children who have a negative TB test, are continually exposed, cannot be separated from adults who are untreated or ineffectively treated for TB disease, and cannot be given long-term primary preventive treatment for the infection.
The Division of Public and Behavioral Health reports 80 cases of tuberculosis in Nevada in 2017, 62 of were in Clark County.
