TB outbreak prompts closing of nursery
A central London nursery has seen a diagnosis of tuberculosis in 33 of the children attending the setting.
Knightsbridge Kindergarten, a private nursery in Westminster, called in the Health Protection Agency after an adult linked to the nursery was diagnosed with TB in July.
The disease is very difficult to diagnose and it can take several months for symptoms to appear.
Results from screening of all children and staff show that seven children and one further member of staff had an active infection. All are being treated with a six-month course of antibiotics.
Another 26 children and six adults linked to the nursery were found to have TB in their bodies but had no active infection. They will receive a shorter course of treatment.
News of the outbreak at Knightsbridge Kindergarten comes less than two weeks after six pupils at a school in Camden, London, were diagnosed with TB.
Dr Brian McCloskey, director of the London region of the Health Protection Agency, said, 'It is too early to say why so many children and adults have been infected. We will be looking into this over the coming weeks.'
The co-owner of Knightsbridge Kindergarten, who did not wish to give his name, said, 'As TB is difficult to detect, I would advise every nursery and school in London to get its teachers and children screened. Our nursery is the third in a short period to have an outbreak, so I believe that more settings will be affected.'
Further information
www.hpa.org.uk.
