Denton Transfer Student From Ennis Tests Positive For TB After Hospitalization
DENTON (CBS 11 News EXCLUSIVE) - A Denton High School student who recently moved from Ennis has been hospitalized following complications that could be connected to Tuberculosis.
Melissa Sosa of Denton says she saw the warning signs in her 16-year-old son, but wasn't exactly sure about his condition. "The fatigue and weight loss is a big thing. You may think they're on diets, but no, it wasn't the case."
She says she never saw the 'classic' symptoms of TB. "The cough... people mistake that they're going to have this hacking forceful cough. It wasn't like that."
It wasn't until Tuesday morning that Sosa feared the worst after her son became dizzy and nauseous. "He walked outside and before we left, he passed out."
Sosa rushed her child to Denton Regional Hospital. The 45-year-old mother says her son's initial skin test for Tuberculosis came back positive, and now the family is waiting for results from a second test to see if he has contagious, or active TB.
"I asked 'what's on the x-ray?' and they said, 'the entire right side he has black,'" she said, referring to the boy's lung.
"Because of how this happened, I was not about to let it happen in my town. So yes, Denton knows and everybody has been notified," she said.
The boy is a junior at Denton High School. However, he attended Ennis High School last year and spent the entire school year taking a science class with a teacher who has the contagious form of Tuberculosis.
Ennis High has been the home of a TB scare where nearly 200 students and faculty have tested positive for the latent or non-active form of the disease, while as many as ten people are suspected of having the active form.
Denton ISD is aware of Sosa's son and is preparing for the worst. District spokeswoman Sharon Cox says an emergency plan is ready to go.
>>Denton ISD notice to parents<<
Cox says the district has "been in contact with Denton Regional Hospital and the Denton County Health Department and are waiting on test results."
Late Wednesday, Cox confirmed to CBS 11 that the district was contacting parents of Denton High School students by phone to advise them of the situation.
Denton County Health Department spokeswoman Betsy Haggard also issued a statement to CBS 11, saying "We have been made aware of a possible Tuberculosis case in Denton County. We are in the process of investigating the case."
The Texas Department of State Health Services, who has played an active role in the Ennis TB case, also said they were investigating the latest incident. "We are conducting a full investigation, and that includes doing everything we can to locate close contacts, even if they've moved away. We do this by letter, phone or by working with a local health department to track and investigate possible cases," said spokeswoman Carrie Williams.
Meanwhile, Sosa's son remains in isolation at Denton Regional awaiting the latest test results.
MORE: Ennis High School TB Latest
MORE: Latest On TB Investigation From State Health Services
