Bexhill Hospital worker has TB

In a statement today the Trust said: "The Health Protection Agency is working with Hastings and Rother Primary Care Trust in the response to a case of infectious Tuberculosis which has been confirmed in a healthcare worker in East Sussex.

"Close contacts of the case have been invited for screening for signs of the infection. Patients and staff from the ward where the HCW worked in Bexhill Hospital are also being contacted and invited for screening.

"Patients and staff will need to be assessed after they were potentially exposed over a period of several weeks when the healthcare worker was unaware of their TB infection. The healthcare worker is currently on sick leave.

"Screening will determine whether or not they have become infected but this does not mean they have active disease. It may mean they will need treatment with antibiotics to prevent the infection from developing into active disease."

The HPA advises that the risk of contracting TB in this way is low. For more information contact NHS Direct on 0845 4647 or the Health Protection Agency website www.hpa.org.uk/infections

'¢Tuberculosis, or TB, is a disease caused by infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis. TB usually affects the lungs, but can affect other parts of the body. Infection does not necessarily develop into active, clinically apparent TB disease.

'¢TB is completely treatable. It is usually transmitted when a person with infection in the lung has close and sustained contact with others (i.e. household members), as when they cough, sneeze etc. the infection can be spread. But only some people with TB in the lungs are infectious to other people. Such cases are called 'sputum smear positive' (or "open"). Even then, close and prolonged contact is needed to be at risk of being infected.

'¢Sputum smear positive cases stop being infectious after 2 weeks of effective treatment.

'¢TB is treated with a combination of antibiotics and treatment for active disease usually lasts six months. TB disease develops slowly in the body and it usually takes several months for symptoms to appear.

'¢People who may have been in contact with an infectious case of TB can be tested using a skin test called the Mantoux test which is the standard test for contact testing. A positive result could indicate infection and such people will require further investigations, including often a chest X-ray.

'¢Newer blood tests called Interferon-Gamma tests are also available which can be used as an adjunct to the skin test.

'¢Tests are unreliable if performed too early. As the infection develops very slowly, testing is usually performed about six weeks from the date of exposure to avoid 'false negative' results.

'¢TB rates in East Sussex have fallen since 2001 when 54 cases were reported. Figures to the end of 2005 showed this number had dropped to 28.

'¢Any of the following symptoms may suggest TB:

'¢Fever and night sweats

'¢Persistent cough

'¢Losing weight

'¢Blood in sputum.

'¢In situations like that described above, the HPA normally organises for all those who may have been in significant contact with an infectious case to be screened using one or both of the skin or blood tests.

'¢More information can be found on www.hpa.org.uk/infections