Student catches non-infectious strain of Tuberculosis

[Momtezuma Tuatara]

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10651417


Tuberculosis case linked to 2006 school outbreak

9:14 AM Saturday Jun 12, 2010
http://media.nzherald.co.nz/webcontent/image/jpg/virus-220.jpg
The tuberculosis virus. Photo / Supplied


A new case of tuberculosis at Palmerston North Boys' High School is believed to be related to a major outbreak of the disease which hit the school in 2006.

The Year 13 student has been quarantined at home for seven weeks after he coughed up blood, but is no longer considered contagious, the Manawatu Standard reported.

He is believed to have caught the non-infectious strain during the previous outbreak among year 9 students.

His infection developed into full-blown disease earlier this year.

Fewer than five per cent of people who undergo treatment go on to develop the disease.

"Testing of contacts at highest risk of infection has so far showed no evidence of further disease spread," said MidCentral District Health Board medical officer of health Jill McKenzie.

More than one in 10 of the 1800-plus students and staff at the college were infected with the disease in 2006.

That led to the treatment of 250 people, including 15 people who contracted the contagious version.

Palmerston North Boys' High School rector Tim O'Connor said the latest scare hit "close to the nerve".

The school sent letters to all parents informing them of the infection and spoke to students at assembly. Year 13 students were tentative about the news, he said.

"Everyone who went through testing in 2006 is always going to wonder."

so lets get this straight.

One in ten "caught" a non infectious strain of TB leading to 235 cases. Another 15 cases were of an infectious strain.

and now, 4 years later, another kid had caught the "non-infectious" strain. From where did he catch something that can't infect?

What does this mean?... "Testing of contacts at highest risk of infection ..."?

Hmm...

doesn't make sense to me.

Does it make sense to you?

[Momtezuma Tuatara]

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/3805598/TB-case-linked-to-2006-school-outbreak


TB case linked to 2006 school outbreak.

By MARIKA Hill - Manawatu Standard

Last updated 07:30 12/06/2010

Tuberculosis has struck again at Palmerston North Boys' High School, leading to the quarantine of a student after he coughed up blood.

The school was hit by a major outbreak of the disease in 2006 that led to widespread testing and a third of year 9 students contracting TB.

The latest victim is believed to have caught the non-infectious strain during the previous outbreak.

His infection developed into full-blown disease earlier this year.

He was treated for the infection in 2006. However, fewer than 5 percent of people who undergo treatment go on to develop the disease.

The MidCentral District Health Board is reassuring families of the low risk of infection.

The young man is no longer considered contagious and spent the past seven weeks quarantined at home.

"Testing of contacts at highest risk of infection has so far showed no evidence of further disease spread," medical officer of health Jill McKenzie said.

"It is unlikely that there will be a need for testing of students beyond the closest contacts of the case."

The year 13 student, who did not wish to be named, said he was quarantined at home as soon as he began coughing up blood.

It's been frustrating being locked up inside and missing friends' birthdays, he said.

The worst part is taking 11 pills a day for six months, which has caused some unwanted side affects. "My urine goes orange and there's [vision] blurriness."

He said his mum had been really worried, but had been a great nurse.

More than one in 10 of the 1800-plus students and staff at Palmerston North Boys' High School were infected with tuberculosis in 2006.

That led to the treatment of 250 people, including 15 people who contracted the contagious TB disease.

Palmerston North Boys' High School rector Tim O'Connor said the latest scare hit "close to the nerve".

"As a school we are quite sensitive to the impact that infectious diseases can have."

The school sent letters to all parents informing them of the infection and spoke to students at an assembly this week. Year 13 students were tentative about the news.

"Everyone who went through testing in 2006 is always going to wonder."

Mr O'Connor said he was hopeful this case was a one-off. Six people in close contact with the infected student have so far been tested. The boy's parents, who were caring for him in quarantine, have so far tested negative.

It is unlikely students will be tested unless there's evidence of the infection spreading.

FACTS ABOUT TUBERCULOSIS

The infection is a non-contagious and symptom-free condition where the immune system contains the bacteria in a harmless form.

About 10 to 15 percent of people with the infection will develop the infectious TB disease. If treated, the percentage drops to less than 5 percent.

TB disease in the lungs causes symptoms such as a persistent cough that does not get better with antibiotic treatment, weight loss, and sweats, especially at night.

The TB disease is infectious. Anyone with the above symptoms should be assessed by a doctor.

The TB bacteria is very slow growing so it takes several weeks or months before a person may develop symptoms.

TB disease is uncommon in New Zealand. Around 320 people contract the disease per year.

The MidCentral region sees around seven cases a year, most of which are contracted overseas or from being in close contact with an infected person.

TB is treated using specialised antibiotics.

If treatment is started there is a low chance of infection passing to others.

People living in the same household are most at risk.

I'm still none the wiser....

The infection is a non-contagious and symptom-free condition where the immune system contains the bacteria in a harmless form.

Except when you catch it.

[Wonder-Full]

Oh good, so it wasn't just my lack of understanding of TB that made me question the exact same things you have highlighted!

[bbrandonsmom]

Here's what I found from looking up latent TB. My understanding then would be this child contacted TB from the 95 outbreak but it became latent in his body until it became active and contagious? I wonder if they will test everyone now? In my search I found "outbreaks" keep popping up here in Florida and in NY-the blame is on international travel from what I found.

What is the difference between latent tuberculosis infection and tuberculosis disease?

Latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) means the person has the TB germ in their body (usually lungs), but has yet to develop obvious symptoms. In latent TB, the person has a significant reaction to the Mantoux skin test with no symptoms of tuberculosis, and no TB organisms found in the sputum. Tuberculosis disease indicates the person has symptoms, a significant reaction to a Mantoux skin test and organisms found in the sputum. In order to spread the TB germs, a person must have TB disease. Having latent TB infection is not enough to spread the germ. Tuberculosis may last for a lifetime as an infection, never developing into disease.

[MinorityView]

I was told as a child that I had been exposed to TB, that my body had encapsulated it and that I had no problem.

This is what I think they are trying to say, only the writers didn't understand the concepts so they spouted nonsense.

People who get exposed to TB, but are able to deal with it, end up with TB in their body but under control in such a way that it is non-infectious. If something undermines whatever their body is doing to encapsulate or lock up the TB it can emerge and make them ill, at which point they have infectious TB. As in cough, cough, share it around.

So once the kid got sick, it went from non-infectious to infectious.

Really bad writing and analysis.

[Momtezuma Tuatara]

I was told as a child that I had been exposed to TB, that my body had encapsulated it and that I had no problem.

This is what I think they are trying to say, only the writers didn't understand the concepts so they spouted nonsense.

People who get exposed to TB, but are able to deal with it, end up with TB in their body but under control in such a way that it is non-infectious. If something undermines whatever their body is doing to encapsulate or lock up the TB it can emerge and make them ill, at which point they have infectious TB. As in cough, cough, share it around.

So once the kid got sick, it went from non-infectious to infectious.

Really bad writing and analysis.

Exactly.

and that's the same principle of any latent infection like EBV as well. Anyone who has EBV doesn't have immunity. They have a dormant "controlled" infection. In fact, the same could be said about chickenpox to shingles.

But you'd think that editors would require a bit more accuracy in explanation than something that's so blatantly and stupidly worded.

[MinorityView]

Brain turned off is the only explanation I can imagine for such lack of clarity.

[Momtezuma Tuatara]

Sadly I agree with you. Which is why I never call journalists anything other than a "reporter" now.