Devon pupil treated for TB after outbreak last year

The headteacher of Teign School wrote to parents Credit: Teign School

Teign School in Kingsteignton sent a letter to parents telling them that a pupil has been diagnosed with tuberculoisis.

[It follows a screening last year when hundred of pupils tested positive for carrying the infection.](It added that TB screening was being offered to pupils who had had close contact with the affected pupil.http://www.itv.com/news/westcountry/update/2015-09-16/hundreds-test-positive-for-tb-at-devon-school/)

The disease isn't infectious when it's latent, this pupil has an active form of the illness.

Public Health England say there's low risk of the infection spreading to others but are offering TB screening to those who had been in close contact with the pupil.

Parents and teachers are advised to send their children to school as normal.

The school offered this reassurance:

  • TB is difficult to catch

  • You are most at risk if you live in the same house as the person with TB

  • TB can only be caught from someone with infectious TB in their lungs or throat

  • TB is spread through the air when someone with TB coughs. However, it requires a close and lengthy contact to catch the disease (usually lasting several hours, on several occasions and in the same room or similar space)

  • TB takes months to develop so testing for TB is best done some weeks after the last potential exposure

  • TB is usually completed cured by treatment

Symptoms of TB include:

  • Fever and night sweats

  • A cough for at least three weeks

  • Unintentional weight loss

  • Coughing up blood in your sputum/phlegm

Public Health England say:

Public Health England (PHE) is again working with Teign School in Kingsteignton, the NHS and Devon County Council following a confirmed case of active tuberculosis (TB) in a pupil.

The pupil who is in Year 11 is receiving treatment and is recovering well and unlike the cases last year is considered to be a low infectious risk.

TB is a curable bacterial infection, which is treated with antibiotics. Symptoms include a chronic cough (lasting 3 weeks or more), fatigue, weight loss, weakness, fever, sweating and loss of appetite.

As a precautionary measure, TB screening is being offered to pupils who have been identified as having close prolonged contact with the affected pupil.

Whilst there is a low risk of any further cases emerging, PHE is acting as quickly as possible to identify whether this has occurred. Based on the information at present, there does not appear to be a greater risk to other students in the school than exists in the outside world. Advice from PHE is that students should attend school as normal.