Fourth pupil is diagnosed with TB

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Another pupil at a Swansea school where there is an outbreak of tuberculosis has been confirmed with the disease.

Four children at Gorseinon infants and junior schools are now diagnosed as having TB. Three others are being treated for exposure to the infection.

A woman staff member and her three children - all pupils at the schools - were diagnosed in May.

Public health experts say there is no evidence the disease is spreading from child-to-child in the schools.

The latest case first came to light from a positive reaction to testing carried out on 12 June and was confirmed by examination of an x-ray.

Dr Sara Hayes, consultant in communicable disease control for the National Public Health Service for Wales (NPHS), said: "Every child who has been infected with TB is linked to the one adult - a member of staff who must have been highly infectious.

Antibiotics

"The new child we have confirmed this week matches this pattern - with links to the member of staff working in the nursery."

The outbreak started in May when the woman staff member was diagnosed with TB and her three children were also found to be infected.

Screening was offered to children in the nursery where the adult worked and in the classes her children are in.

Seven nursery pupils have tested positive for exposure to TB, of whom four are being treated for the disease.

A few children at the schools still have to be screened but Dr Hayes said all those diagnosed with TB have no symptoms of the illness itself.

They are all being treated with antibitotics and are not considered infectious to others and have returned to school. The infected member of staff is also recovering well.