Dorchester School District officials say a case of Tuberculosis (TB) has been identified at Summerville High School.
The student was not identified.
The South Carolina Department of Public Health (DPH) found that the period of exposure occurred near the end of the 2025–26 school year. However, the illness was only recently diagnosed.
DPH did contact tracing with district officials once the diagnosis was confirmed.
District 2 officials sent notices to families of 10th through 12th-grade students who attended Summerville High School during the end of the school year.
Families of students identified as having potential exposure were sent a separate communication regarding recommended screening options.
For students identified through contact tracing, DPH is recommending TB testing as a precaution.
According to DPH:
- Testing will be provided by DPH at no cost.
- Parents must submit a completed DPH Tuberculosis Testing & Consent Form to the SHS Health Office or school nurses through Aug. 11.
- DPH representatives may contact parents directly if forms are not returned to answer questions and seek verbal consent for testing.
State health officials advise parents to contact their healthcare provider or DPH immediately if a student displays active symptoms of Tuberculosis. Symptoms include pain in the chest, coughing up blood, fever, chills, night sweats, or loss of appetite.
For questions regarding exposure, consent forms, or testing schedules, families can contact the DPH Careline at 1-855-472-3432 (Monday–Friday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.). DPH said that Tuberculosis is a treatable bacterial infection that responds well to antibiotics.
Additional educational resources and frequently asked questions are available on the DPH and CDC websites.
