Fears of TB outbreak at Mercy hospital

PUBLIC health experts have offered screening to 137 former patients after a staff member at one of Cork’s largest hospitals was diagnosed with tuberculosis.

Management at the Mercy University Hospital (MUH) confirmed last night the staff member had been diagnosed by the hospital’s medical staff on May 26, was treated in the hospital, given medication and discharged.

Citing patient confidentiality, they refused to discuss the individual’s age or sex, or to give details on what area within the hospital the person worked.

After the diagnosis of the single infectious case, MUH alerted public health experts in the HSE and set up a team to mount a TB contact-tracing investigation.

Dr Terence O’Connor, a consultant respiratory physician at MUH, who also runs a TB clinic, said the “painstaking process” identified other staff and former patients who may have had close contact with the infected staff member.

He said the team wrote letters to 137 people on Thursday, offering them a screening at the hospital. The first screenings take place next Wednesday.

Dr O’Connor said the risk of any individual becoming infected with TB is considered to be low.

“But, as a precaution, the investigating team has recommended screening for staff and patients who may have had close contact with the infectious case,” he said.

“Screening will involve a TB skin test and a chest X-ray.”

MUH has also set up an information line, which will operate today, tomorrow and Monday, from 10am until 5pm.

TB is caused by the mycobacterium tuberculosis germ. It usually affects the lungs but it can also affect other parts of the body, including the glands, the bones and rarely the brain.

There were nearly 7,000 cases of TB every year in the early 1950s.

However, the incidence of TB has declined steadily since then. In 2008, there were 470 cases notified in Ireland.

TB is usually an airborne infection, spread by a carrier with TB of the lungs through coughing, sneezing or spitting.

Even then, close and prolonged contact with an infected person — such as family member, friend, child-minder, co-worker or classmate — is necessary to become infected.

Most cases of infectious TB stop being infectious after a few weeks of treatment.

TB is treated with tablets, which must be taken for at least six months.

- The MUH helpline is 021-493 5205.