Late diagnosis of TB case prompts screening effort

People who had prolonged contact with a person diagnosed with tubercolosis (TB) have been summoned by the health authorities for screening.

The patient, an 84-year-old Maltese, had been admitted to St Luke's Hospital some weeks ago with respiratory problems and moved to Mater Dei following the migration process. Although TB is usually immediately diagnosed, it was not the case with this patient and the authorities decided to summon patients who had been in this person's room. Hospital staff are also being offered screening.

Health services director general John Cachia told a news conference yesterday the patient had a history of TB and the indications were that his disease was the normal TB that affected Malta.

TB, Dr Cachia explained, was a reality that still existed and 35 new cases were reported last year - half of them involving Maltese citizens. TB is an infectious disease characterised by the formation of tubercles on the lungs and other tissues of the body.

The Maltese are vaccinated against TB in schools and, while certain European countries are considering stopping this vaccine, Malta has decided against this path of action.

Christine Gauci, health promotion and disease prevention director, said that once the patient had spent time in hospital, the department was sending for the 20 or so patients who had shared his room.

However, she stressed that patients who had been in the same ward and relatives visiting this or other patients in the same room were in no danger because their contact with the patient had not been prolonged.

Michael Borg, the consultant responsible for infectious diseases, said that TB cases in hospital were regular and the hospital had a policy of doing its utmost to avoid the risk of spreading the disease by keeping patients in isolation in rooms purposely equipped for air to be sucked out.

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