South Carolina's Department of Public Health began contact tracing immediately after the diagnosis and said families of potentially exposed students will receive follow-up letters on testing recommendations and options.
Tuberculosis spreads through close airborne exposure rather than casual contact, doctors said, meaning students are not considered at risk from simply passing someone in a hallway.
About 5% of exposed people develop the disease within the first year or two, according to pediatric hospitalist Rebecca Partridge, who urged anyone with a cough lasting more than 3 weeks, fever or night sweats to seek care.