Screening finds 76 new TB cases
Latent cases discovered in town tests
MORE than 70 cases of latent tuberculosis (TB) infection have been confirmed in a Llanelli village after a screening exercise.
The community screening earlier this month identified no active cases of TB disease but 76 cases of latent TB infection were discovered.
Latent TB is not infectious as it cannot be passed to others and those who have it do not need urgent treatment.
At the beginning of the month hundreds of people queued to see doctors in Llwynhendy following the outbreak, which was linked to the Joiners Arms pub. Locals claimed they missed out on being screened because so many people turned up.
MORE than 70 cases of latent tuberculosis (TB) infection have been confirmed in a Llanelli village after a screening exercise.
The community screening earlier this month identified no active cases of TB disease but 76 cases of latent TB infection were discovered.
Latent TB is not infectious as it cannot be passed to other people and those who have it do not need urgent treatment.
At the beginning of the month hundreds of people queued to see doctors in Llwynhendy following the outbreak, which was linked to the Joiners Arms pub.
Locals living in Llwynhendy claimed that they missed out on being screened because so many people turned up from outside the area.
More than 1,400 people were screened over three days in the village this month. Demand was so high that one screening session was extended and an additional session was arranged.
Public Health Wales, which led the screening exercise in conjunction with Hywel Dda University health board, has written to the people who were screened with the results of negative blood tests.
Patients requiring further attention have also been invited to a hospital outpatient clinic by the health board to discuss their results and any further tests or treatment.
Dr Brendan Mason, consultant in communicable disease control at Public Health Wales, said: “Latent TB occurs when individuals have been infected with the germ that causes TB, but do not have active TB disease.
“They are not infectious and cannot spread TB infection to others, and do not feel unwell and or have any symptoms.
“If latent TB bacteria become active in the body and multiply, the person will go from having latent TB infection to having active TB disease. For this reason, people with latent TB infection can be treated to prevent them from developing TB disease.”
Screening was deferred for more than 600 people, who will be sent appointments by the health board to attend another one.
Dr Philip Kloer, medical director and director of clinical strategy for Hywel Dda University health board, said: “We would like to reassure all those people who have been screened that they will receive a letter to provide them with their results and any further action needed.
“We are also organising additional screening clinics for those who require screening and we will be in touch directly with people who have identified themselves to confirm arrangements in the coming months.”
The aim of the exercise was to identify active and latent TB cases in the Llwynhendy population so that the affected individuals can proceed to treatment and the outbreak can be brought under control.