An outbreak of tuberculosis as swept through Sacramento County after a student at Florin High School was diagnosed with the deadly disease last month. Of the 155 students and staff potentially exposed to the disease, 16 have already tested positive for tuberculosis exposure.

The 16 infected will now have their chests X-rayed in order to determine if they have the active form of the disease, which is highly contagious and can be fatal, or the latent form of the disease, which shows no symptoms and is not contagious. Either form of the bacterial infection can be treated with antibiotics.

As for the 139 students and staff members who tested negative, they will be tested again in approximately two months time. Exposure to TB affects people differently; some people will not react to the TB tests right away.

Although tuberculosis is an increasingly rare disease in the United States, it is not unheard of- there were nearly 10,000 cases of tuberculosis in 2013. While it is treatable, the danger comes from the fact that it is highly contagious. Tuberculosis is an airborne disease. When an infected person coughs or sneezes and even when he or she speaks or sings, TB germs are put out into the air. They can remain suspended midair for hours. Persons who breathe in these germs become infected.

A vaccine for tuberculosis does exist. It is called Bacille Calmette-Guérin and although it is used in many countries, it is rarely administered in the US.

Indicators of tuberculosis include flu-like symptoms such as coughing, fever, night sweats, and unexplained weight loss. In addition, if the infection is in the lungs, symptoms include chest pains and couching up blood.

If you or someone you know exhibits such symptoms, you should contact your doctor immediately.