Following the first outbreak of tuberculosis (TB) last May, additional epidemiological testing has confirmed that 21 students out of 10,000 KAIST students are infected with TB. 14 cases of TB infection were found last year, while seven more cases were found this year. This has caused much concern in and out of KAIST, as the number of TB patients in KAIST is almost three times the national average.

 

The number of TB cases has increased significantly over the years. Usually, only two to three students were tested positive for TB in a given year. However, this number increased to 11 cases in 2013, and this year, seven more cases were found in only three months’ time. In addition, 92 students were found to have latent TB.

 

As a result, a growing number of questions regarding TB was raised by KAIST students and faculty. In order to facilitate the process of answering the questions, the KAIST Clinic created the TB Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) bulletin board on its website in March. The board is divided into the three different sections: notice, FAQ, and question and answer (Q&A).

 

The notice section provides information about upcoming TB test schedules or general testing procedures. In the FAQ board, general questions on TB, testing procedures, and schedules, as well as the answers to the questions, are posted. As for the Q&A board, users must log in to raise any questions or suggestions anonymously.

 

In order to identify the cause behind the unusually high number of TB patients in KAIST, Korean Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC), Yuseong Public Health Center, and KAIST implemented epidemiological testing on the students and faculties from the four departments that have the risks of infection - namely, computer science, mathematics, electrical engineering, and chemistry. Including the 1,600 students that were tested last year, approximately 40% of the KAIST students have now been tested.