School TB outbreak finally over

The screening of pupils at the school has now been completed

A tuberculosis outbreak at a Swansea school is over, say public health experts.

Four children at Gorseinon infants and juniors were diagnosed as having TB and three others were treated for exposure to the infection.

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

Sara Hayes of the National Public Health Service said 257 pupils were screened and no more cases identified.

"Every child we have found infected with TB is linked to the one adult - a member of staff who must have been highly infectious," said Dr Hayes.

"We found no evidence at all of spread from child to child in the schools. We also found no evidence of spread within the infants and junior schools."

The outbreak started in May when the member of staff was diagnosed with TB. Her household contacts were screened and her three children were found to have the infection.

"Although we have ended the screening programme on the three school sites, the outbreak control team is continuing to investigate the original source of infection," she added.

"These investigations involve more detailed microbiology around the types of TB found in Gorseinon."

Dr Hayes said all the children diagnosed with TB were being treated and the member of staff was recovering well.