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Seven more children's TB cases confirmed in Cork

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  • 12-04-2007 9:08pm
    #1
    ircoha
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,290 ✭✭✭


    I believe this issue to be a scandal. It seems the Health board in Cork stopped the BCG in 1973 and we now have over 200 kids exposed to the carrier of whom 10 are confirmed with it: can you imagine.

    In case you think I am making it up see below. Its time we got a grip here.

    Copyright 2007 The Irish Times
    All Rights Reserved
    The Irish Times

    April 12, 2007 Thursday

    SECTION: IRELAND; Regional News; Pg. 2

    LENGTH: 186 words

    HEADLINE: Seven more children's TB cases confirmed

    BYLINE: Olivia Kelleher

    BODY:


    Calls have been made for the immediate rolling out of a BCG vaccination scheme for children in Cork after seven more cases of TB were confirmed at a creche in the city.

    This brings to 10 the number of cases detected in the past four weeks at two childcare facilities. The seven cases confirmed this week were all of children who attend Nurture Childcare in Ardfallen Mall, Douglas. Final screening on two adults are awaited.

    The children who contracted TB are attending a consulting paediatrician, while an unspecified number of children will be starting prophylactic antibiotic therapy on the basis of test results that showed a latent form of the disease. A spokesman for the HSE South's Department of Public Health yesterday said there was no reason to close the creche or the previous creche affected by TB.

    "Children on treatment are not infectious and can return to school as normal. There is no risk to other children in the creche from children who are on treatment," the spokesman said. "The HSE is undertaking a further risk assessment today taking into account all the screening results and evidence to date."

    LOAD-DATE: April 12, 2007


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    #2
    DublinWriter
    Registered Users Posts: 9,557 ✭✭✭DublinWriter


    I think this relates to a new super-virulent strain of TB that was discovered in Western Europe a few years ago, and not the 'regular'-TB of the '50s?


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    #3
    Nevyn
    Closed Accounts Posts: 43,045 ✭✭✭✭Nevyn


    I am surprised it was standard proceedures unless the parent's didn't want it.
    Both mine had thier bcgs as a matter of course.


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    #4
    Khannie
    Registered Users Posts: 37,485 ✭✭✭✭Khannie


    ircoha wrote:
    It seems the Health board in Cork stopped the BCG in 1973

    :eek:

    I'm the same as thaed. Both of mine have had them and I consider it a matter of course. There weren't any vaccinations left in the country (so we were told) when we initially phoned to book an appointment. I thought /that/ was scandalous. Not issuing them at all = absolute disgrace.


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    #5
    Deliverance
    Registered Users Posts: 1,674 ✭✭✭Deliverance


    Strikes me as interesting that the only county in Ireland which does not give the vaccination to newborns has a waiting list of 3 months for babies under 3 months old on request, and a waiting list of a year for those over 3 months old on request, should have an 'outbreak' of TB. Speaks for itself really.

    I'm getting my girl on the list 'a year' for vaccination, hopefully sooner considering.

    Apparently one can get TB, carry TB with no effect as a carrier, or have TB for years and develop it later. It is an airborne virus and highly infectious. The knowledge of this 'virus' has been known for years.

    People who I have talked to from the older generation seemed to know a hell of a lot more about it than I did before this outbreak. Makes you think.


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    #6
    Davidth88
    Registered Users Posts: 3,181 ✭✭✭Davidth88


    I heard this on the radio last week , I was astounded that BCG's were not standard .

    Our little one had one before she left hospital here in Dublin .

    I know of people in the UK who are basically told not to take their kids out until they have had a BCG .

    I believe the BCG doesn't give 100% protection ?? Also it can confuse the ' skin test ' which detects TB ......again I heard this on the radio , it was the excuses that the HSE was giving why it's not given as a matter of course now.


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    #7
    Deliverance
    Registered Users Posts: 1,674 ✭✭✭Deliverance


    Davidth88 wrote:
    I heard this on the radio last week , I was astounded that BCG's were not standard .

    Our little one had one before she left hospital here in Dublin .

    I know of people in the UK who are basically told not to take their kids out until they have had a BCG .

    I believe the BCG doesn't give 100% protection ?? Also it can confuse the ' skin test ' which detects TB ......again I heard this on the radio , it was the excuses that the HSE was giving why it's not given as a matter of course now.
    Poor excuse at best, so the excuse is don't give TB protection because it might confuse the test, let us wait for a real outbreak then we know who are definately infected because we know they have no protection, therefore we can easily identify the infected because the infected are not confused with the vaccinated!!??

    Three new cases were confirmed today in Cork. Do not worry though it is only the adults that are contagious not the kids (according to the papers), phew what a relief. As long as kids don't come into contact with adults who could infect other kids then it is ok. HSE in Cork, you got to love them for trying to attempt damage limitation.
    The real question is why Cork didn't have vaccinations in the first place, the reason for the question? The outbreak.


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