Last week’s free tuberculosis tests revealed no additional cases of contagious TB on campus.

However, an unknown number of skin tests turned out positive among the 520 people tested Tuesday and Wednesday at Kesnar Hall. A positive skin test alone does not indicate a person has an active case of TB. To determine whether a person has a contagious form of the disease, chest X-rays and blood tests must be conducted.

Dr. Rollins Perkins, SIUC Health Services medical chief of staff, said there is no reason for concern.

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We get positive skin tests all the time, he said. The public health of Southern Illinois is not in danger.

Perkins said there is always two to three cases of active TB in Jackson County treated each year. There has not been an active case of TB on the SIUC campus for 16 years.

On March 9, health officials discovered SIUC men’s basketball team member Thanasis Topouzis had been carrying a contagious form of TB since late December.

In response, doctors sent out more than 700 certified letters to students and staff who had contact with the contagious student.

SIUC health officials visited residents of Thompson Point’s Abbott Hall last week, the hall were Topouzis resides, to inform them of the situation and allowed them to ask questions about the disease.

People from Abbott Hall were especially thankful for the way we were doing the testing, Perkins said. It felt good. It gave them a chance to ask questions and to have a better understanding of what it is all about.

Symptoms of active TB include persistent coughing, fever, night sweats and weight loss. Active tuberculosis can be fatal. Anyone who has about 200 hours or more of shared air time with a contagious person is more likely to acquire the disease.

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To accommodate people who were not able to be tested last week, SIUC Health Services will conduct more tests from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday at Kesnar Hall.