TB screening begins after three cases in Cork school

A Cork hospital is to begin screening schoolchildren for tubercolosis after an outbreak of the disease.

Three cases were idenitified in a primary school in Ballintemple nearly two weeks ago.

Screening of the 220 pupils at the school will begin today at St Finbarr's Hospital in Cork.

Tubercolosis was identified in three pupils on August 10. They are now being treated under specialist paediatric care.

In 2007, an outbreak of TB at a Cork creche accounted for 21 of the 101 cases reported nationally that year.

It resulted in the re-introduction of the BCG vaccination which had been withdrawn - but only in the South - for 36 years.

In the wake of these latest instances of the disease Fine Gael has urged health Minister Mary Harney to urgently review TB services across the country.