More tests to come over tuberculosis finding

Students at the University of Saskatchewan will face some follow-up tests for tuberculosis, after initial examinations found some were positive for a latent form of the disease.

Hundreds of students were asked to get tested whenone student came down with TB around Nov. 30.

Officials wanted to see anyone who may have been in contact with the student.

They would not say how many positive tests for a latent form of TB were found.

Latent tuberculosis means the studentstested positive for TB, but were not showing symptoms and are not contagious.

The school will provide more tests for students who initially tested negative and for those who haven't been tested yet in January.

Julie Kryzanowski is the deputy medical health officer for the Saskatoon Health Region.

She pointed out that thepositive tests may not be linked to the recent case on campus.

"So the students who had a positive skin test will be assessed by Tuberculosis Control Services," she said. "They'll have risk assessment as to what sort of exposures they might have had to tuberculosis, other than this particular situation."

About half of the studentswho were considered athigh risk for infection have been tested and there have been no findings of active tuberculosis.

University officials have released little information about the initial case and haven't said if the student is male or female, but have said the student wasresponding well to treatment.