Students tested for TB at Vic school

Students at a Melbourne high school have been tested for tuberculosis after a classmate was diagnosed with the illness six weeks ago.

Footscray City College students were tested on Monday, with results due next week, Department of Health spokesman Bram Alexander says.

Those tested were students who had close contact with the infected student, and family members.

He said the screening measures were standard department protocol and couldn't have taken place any sooner because tuberculosis was a slow-growing disease.

The infected student was hospitalised as soon as they were diagnosed and has since made a full recovery.

"Once tuberculosis is identified it is easy to treat," Mr Alexander told AAP.

He couldn't comment on where the student had contracted the disease.

But he said 80 per cent of people diagnosed with it in Australia had been born overseas or had lived in countries where the disease was more prevalent.

The school has been contacted for comment.

Common symptoms include:

* A chronic cough, sometimes accompanied by coughing up blood

* Fevers and night sweats

* Loss of weight

* Malaise and fatigue.