Hospital patients given TB alert

The patients had attended Bishop Auckland General Hospital

Almost 100 people in County Durham have been alerted by health chiefs after it is thought they may have been in contact with a tuberculosis patient.

A total of 89 patients have been sent letters after they attended Bishop Auckland General Hospital.

Experts say that the chances of the infection being passed on is low - but have issued letters as a precaution.

Those contacted had been staying on the same ward as the infectious patient before the lung disease was diagnosed.

Health officials say the infected patient had been admitted to hospital for an unrelated medical condition.

All patients are being advised to contact their GP if they develop a persistent cough, weight loss, or any other symptoms that concern them.

The majority have been assessed as having a low risk of acquiring TB.

A smaller number thought to be more vulnerable to TB infection are also to be offered a series of chest X-rays as a precaution to check for signs of the illness.

Prolonged contact

Officials say that if TB is diagnosed, antibiotic treatment is available.

Dr John Sloss, consultant microbiologist and infection control doctor at County Durham and Darlington Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, said: "Tuberculosis is quite difficult to pass on even in these circumstances, so we do not believe that there is any need for them to be unduly concerned.

"However, we think it is appropriate that they are all given advice on how to spot signs of the disease - and that some of them are offered precautionary X-rays."

TB most commonly affects the lungs but can affect almost any part of the body.

It can be spread when someone with the infection coughs or sneezes or talks and another person breathes in the bacteria.

However, prolonged contact is usually needed to become infected.

Symptoms include a persistent cough - usually for more than three weeks, night sweats for weeks or months, fatigue, high temperature and shortness of breath.