More vaccination clinics to be set up as TB cases rise to 16

THE Health Service Executive (HSE) is to set up additional vaccination clinics on Monday for children attending two Cork creches where the number of TB cases has risen to 16.

Last night the HSE confirmed three new child cases of TB, two at Panda Paws Preschool and Childcare facility in Little Island, Co Cork, and one at Nurture Childcare in Douglas, Cork city. In total, five new cases of the disease were confirmed this week alone.

The latest cases bring to 10 the number of child cases of the disease at Nurture Childcare. At Panda Paws, the number of confirmed child cases has risen to four. Two former staff members — one at each creche — also have TB. Children with TB are not contagious, adults are.

In an effort to control the outbreak, the HSE has taken the unusual step of ordering chest X-rays for more than 220 children spread over both creches who tested negative for the disease. The X-ray process began yesterday at Cork University Hospital (CUH). Only the 14 confirmed child cases and 20 children on a nine-month antibiotic treatment course for a latent form of the disease are exempt from this large-scale precautionary exercise.

The 220 children undergoing X-rays are also on a two-month course of antibiotics as an additional precaution, although public health officials still do not know how responsive the strain of TB is to antibiotics. The results of antibiotic sensitivity tests are pending.

It is unclear how the new cases emerged given skin tests were completed at both crèches some time ago.

In all, more than 300 children and staff have been screened at both crèches since the first case was diagnosed in a former staff member at Panda Paws on March 15. The person in question had previously worked in Nurture Childcare for 10 months, up to December 22. The diagnosis of a second adult on April 12 — a staff member at Nurture Childcare — means starting screening all over again in relation to close contacts of this person. The incubation period for TB is between two and 12 weeks so further cases are likely.

Last night, Dr Margaret O’Sullivan, consultant in public health medicine, Public Health Department, HSE South said the Outbreak Control Team and its Expert Advisory Group “are working together to ensure that the management of the outbreak is in line with most recent international guidance to ensure the most appropriate course of action”. On Monday, parents of children attending both creches will be contacted directly by the HSE to set up appointments to attend vaccination clinics to receive the BCG, the vaccine which inoculates against TB. These additional clinics are necessary because most children do not receive the BCG in Cork routinely. Members of the public face a six month wait for the vaccine, which the HSE has promised to re-introduce in October.

The HSE customer information line in Cork Lo-call 1850-742-000 is available to co-ordinate queries from parents about the BCG vaccine and can be contacted Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm. Today, the HSE national information line 1850-241850 can be contacted from 8am to 8pm.