Criticism mounts as rates of TB increase

CRITICISM has been levelled on the Department of Health after it emerged yesterday that the number of reported TB cases in Cork and Kerry is beginning to rise again.

For the first four months of this year there were 30 cases reported in the two counties, and if this trend continues the total number for 2006 would be 90.

The HSE (Southern Region) said that last year there were 77 reported in the region, which was four more than 2004. They broke down into 68 cases in Cork and nine in Kerry. The peak number of cases for 2005 was in September when 12 were dealt with. The lowest was in July when none were reported.

Deputy Kathleen Lynch (Lab) described as “disgraceful” the fact that the Department of Health won’t release funds to immunise Cork children at birth. Cork, she alleged, is the only county in Ireland which doesn’t have this facility.

“The fact is children should be immunised. As with any disease the risk increases if this doesn’t happen,” Ms Lynch said.

She also criticised the Department of Health for failing to ensure proper screening of prison officers, following recent detections of TB amongst prisoners.

“This should happen in all prisons, especially in such a confirmed spaces where the risk of contact is far higher,” the Labour TD added.

So far this year in Cork and Kerry, April had the highest number of cases with 11, while six each were reported in January and March and a further seven diagnosed in February.

However, a HSE spokesman said over the past decade, the Cork-Kerry area has experienced a general downward trend in notified TB cases in line with overall national trends.

Between 1995 and 2004 there was a 32% drop in TB cases in the Cork-Kerry area. An increase was observed in 2003, with 93 cases, which interrupted the general decline. However, in 2004 they fell to 73 but are beginning to rise again.

For the majority of people, primary infection with TB is a minor illness.

The TB germ lives in the droplets of phlegm which may be coughed up by a person who has active lung TB. Someone else can catch TB by breathing in germs.

Close contacts of a person with active lung TB, who is coughing up infected phlegm, are at most risk.

Screening consists of a skin test (Mantoux Test) which is carried out by a public health doctor. The results of the test are read within 48-72 hours. A positive test does not necessarily mean that a person has TB. A chest X-ray is arranged if the test is positive.