TB screening for valley community

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Health officials in Rhondda Cynon Taff are asking about 250 people to take part in a tuberculosis (TB) screening programme.

It follows a spate of new cases of the disease, which experts believe are linked to an outbreak in 1996.

Public Health Wales (PHW) said 26 cases linked to the 1996 outbreak had been identified, almost all close contacts.

Officials said they were targeting an area in lower Rhondda Cynon Taf, with screening beginning next month.

PHW said the priority for the programme, the first of its kind in Wales, would be the 250 people it had identified as being in contact with those originally infected by TB over a decade ago.

Dr Gwen Lowe, a consultant in communicable disease control, said: "If you have been identified as a close contact of someone with TB from this outbreak you may still be at risk of catching it and will need to be tested, even if the contact was a long time ago and you have been tested for TB before.

It occurs in all countries and at all ages, and this outbreak is no exception Dr Gwen Lowe, Public Health Wales

"We are urging everyone who receives a letter to come forward and get tested regardless of whether they have symptoms or not.

"TB is a slowly evolving disease. Some people develop TB after a few weeks or months, whereas others may have no symptoms but still have the TB germ and may become ill many years later.

"We hope the community screening programme will stop the TB from spreading any further."

Screening is due to begin at the Glyncoch Christian Fellowship Church in Glyncoch, Pontypridd, on 9 March.

Skin tests

PHW said anyone in the local community concerned about their risk of TB was also welcome to attend the screening sessions.

Screening for TB involves a simple skin test called a Mantoux which is read two to three days after it has been given and shows whether the patient has been exposed to the TB germ. In some circumstances an additional chest X-ray or blood test may be required.

Dr Lowe added: "TB is potentially a very serious disease and can be fatal. It is difficult to catch but easy to treat.

"It occurs in all countries and at all ages, and this outbreak is no exception."

The consultant said methods for screening for the infection had improved, and was now better at finding those who have come into contact with the germ.

"Some people may think they do not need to get tested because they had the BCG vaccination against TB when they were younger," she said.

"This is not the case. The BCG only offers limited protection against TB and we now know the protection from the vaccination lessens over time.

"There are very effective treatments available to cure TB, but prevention remains better than cure.

"Early detection, especially through screening programmes such as this, is important in reducing the spread of the disease to others."

TB is an infection usually found in the lungs, but any part of the body can be affected. Anyone can catch TB by breathing in the bacteria in tiny droplets sneezed or coughed out by someone who has TB in their lungs.

The most common symptom of TB is a persistent cough for more than three weeks, with spit which can sometimes be blood-stained. Other symptoms can include weight loss, a high temperature, and sweating, particularly at night.

While the disease has declined rapidly in Wales during the 20th century, PHW said it was still notified of about 200 cases a year.