The College is working
with Schenectady County health officials in the wake of a College employee being diagnosed with tuberculosis. County health officials have emphasized that the risk to the College community is not high, based on the clinical information of the case. The following memo was sent April 17 to all members of the
campus community from Sandy Mosher, director of health services:
A Union College employee has been diagnosed as having active tuberculosis (TB). The College is working closely with Schenectady County Public Health Services (SCPHS) on a thorough investigation to identify individuals who have had significant contact
with the employee.
The individual has mild symptoms and is being treated at
home, according to county health officials. The individual is not believed to have had significant contact with a large number of people at Union
and current available clinical information suggests that the employee with TB is not likely to be highly contagious.
Individuals who are at risk will be notified and offered
free skin testing for TB infection. Anyone found to have a positive skin test would be provided antibiotic therapy to prevent active disease.
TB is a bacterial disease that frequently affects the lungs.
It is usually spread through the air in close and prolonged contact, and not in
large group situations.
Union College
will work closely with Schenectady County Public Health Services to ensure that
all appropriate action is taken to protect the health of all members of the
College community.
An informational meeting, with county health officials, will
be held Tuesday, April 22, from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. in Reamer Campus Center Auditorium.
Fact sheets on TB are available at the following web sites:
http://www.health.state.ny.us/nysdoh/communicable_diseases/en/tb.htm
Anyone with questions is invited to contact Union College
Health Services at 388-6120, or Schenectady County Public Health Services at
386-2824. Media inquiries should be addressed to the Union College Office of
Communications at 388-6131.
We will update the Union
College community as more
information is available.