TB scare at Burwood forces screening

Press, 15 January 1988, Page 1

TB scare at Burwood forces screening

By CHRISTOPHER MOORE Christchurch health authorities have launched a big tuberculosis screening programme after the discovery of one case of the disease at Burwood Hospital late last year. A member of the hospital’s maternity unit nursing staff was diagnosed as suffering from tuberculosis in late 1987 and was immediately removed from nursing duties for medical treatment. The nurse was the sole confirmed case of the disease, and will remain in isolation until the infection has passed. The case, described by health authorities as “isolated,” has now led to an extensive screening programme involving 1000 former patients, babies, hospital s,taff and members of the public who might have come into contact with the carrier.

The Health Department and medical staff this week began testing mothers and babies born at the unit between June and early December, 1987. The screening programme is being done at Christchurch Hospital and the Shirley Health Clinic. The department has sent a circular to all mothers to attend.

The circular informs mothers that they may have been in contact with an individual being treated for tuberculosis.

“Although the risk of infection is small, we would advise that you and your baby have a Heaf test to see whether there is any sign that you have contracted the infection ... you will need to attend twice in the same week, once for the test and once for the test to be read.”

Immediately the case at Burwood Hospital was diagnosed, the Health Department had been notified, said the Canterbury Hospital Board’s deputy medical-superintendent-in-chief, Dr David Andrews, yesterday. “While it is our job to provide

treatment, the department has responsibility to trace any possible contacts in cases of this sort. It has extensive powers under the Health Act and has legal authority to enforce testing,” Dr Andrews said. While the routine for testing for tuberculosis was well established, the decline in the incidence of the disease meant that programmes of this size were becoming rare. “This testing programme is a joint effort between the department and the hospital staff. The department faces a major job to screen 1000 people. The department has the legal authority to enforce testing under the Health Act. I cannot comment on criticisms of the communications used in this case,” Dr Andrews said. The identity of the tuberculosis victim would meanwhile remain confidential to protect the patient, he added.

“The screening programme will contact all possible contacts — patients, their families and staff. I am aware of the major extent of the programme but the department is coping with the situation extremely efficiently. “The case was detected early, taken off work and treated. At this stage, we do not think that the number of. contacts involved would have been great.” The Minister of Health, Mr Caygill, discussed the situation with the city’s deputy Medical Officer of Health, Dr Mel Brieseman, yesterday.

A spokesman for the Minister later said that Mr Caygill was satisfied that the department was handling the situation efficiently through its continuing monitoring and testing programme. He was satisfied that no public health risk existed from the single reported case, one of 30 reported annually in the South Island. The medical superintendent of Burwood Hospital, Dr Richard Claridge, declined to comment.