Denver -- More than 230 Air Force Academy cadets have tested positive for exposure to tuberculosis, officials announced Tuesday.

The entire cadet wing, approximately 4,200 cadets, was screened for tuberculosis over the last two weeks, as a proactive effort to identify any possible further cases after a single cadet tested positive for active tuberculosis in August. This number may increase as the remaining cadets complete testing, officials said. No new active cases have been identified to date.

Academy officials said that a positive result for tuberculosis exposure, which is not contagious, does not mean active TB. Tuberculosis is the most common infection in the world, with more than 5 percent of the population testing positive for the disease.

In August, a cadet was diagnosed with an active case of tuberculosis, placed in medical isolation and is currently on antibiotic therapy. He is no longer contagious. Sixty-five others tested positive for tuberculosis exposure at that time and received preventive antibiotic treatment.

The tuberculosis test, also called a tuberculin test, can tell if a person has been infected with tuberculosis. People infected with tuberculosis have a few TB germs in their body, but the germs are not growing and are not making them sick. Furthermore, testing positive does not necessarily mean the disease is active or contagious. Individuals may become infectious when the body is unable to contain the infection, resulting in active disease.

Cadets who have tested positive will be given further blood tests and chest X-rays before their winter break to confirm there are no active cases of tuberculosis. Treatment will follow after they return in January with preventive antibiotics for nine months to ensure any dormant bacteria are eliminated. County and state public health officials have been notified about the number testing positive for exposure and are working closely with military medical officials.