Teacher with open tuberculosis at school

More than one hundred students in Kamp-Lintfort in North Rhine-Westphalia infected with tuberculosis?

13/01/2012

A teacher suffering from overt pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) may have infected more than a hundred pupils with the dangerous pathogens in a school in Kamp-Lintfort in North Rhine-Westphalia.

The teacher had gone to work despite a massive cough, so as not to miss the lessons. A mistake, as it turned out in hindsight. Because the cough was a concomitant of an open tuberculosis, which transmits relatively easily via so-called droplet infections. For example, on January 31, 120 schoolchildren and 20 teachers' colleagues had to be examined at the district health department because they may have been infected with the tuberculosis pathogens.

For days, the teacher dragged herself to school late last year, despite intense coughing, before the shocking diagnosis of overt tuberculosis was made. Thus, the supposed duty of conscience of the teacher has the consequence that now possibly 120 students and 20 teachers have been infected with the dangerous pathogens. The county health office is on and has ordered all persons who came in contact with the teacher, a corresponding check-up. On 31 January, those affected have to undergo a so-called tuberculin test at the county health department, with which a possible infection is to be checked.

Transmission risk of tuberculosis
Although tuberculosis is less infectious than influenza or measles, in the case of open tuberculosis (bacteria found in the sputum), the pathogens can easily pass from one person to another. When coughing, an infectious aerosol forms (tiny droplets in the air) that reach the other people through the air in the room. For example, there is a risk of tuberculosis infection among all of the teacher's students and colleagues. In order to avoid further spread of the pathogens and possible health hazards, all persons who had contact with the teacher are now invited to be examined for a tuberculosis infection at the district health department. Although tuberculosis often heals without further complications with adequate medical care, the risks of bacterial infectious disease should not be underestimated. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), tuberculosis is the world's most infectious disease with the most deaths, with more than 1.8 million people dying from tuberculosis in 2009, according to WHO estimates.

Less than 5,000 tuberculosis disorders per year
In Germany, the number of tuberculosis diseases has been declining for years and today is less than 5,000 new cases per year. The tuberculosis, popularly known as tuberculosis, has lost much of its original horror. The investigation of all persons who have come in contact with infected people is still standard today. The teacher, whose illness was responsible for the current hustle and bustle, it is already better, according to information from the district health department and she is currently at home to cure the disease completely. According to the Mayor of Kamp-Lintfort, Drs. Pupils, parents and colleagues of the teacher have been asked to control a possible tuberculosis infection. Christoph Landscheid (SPD), „calm and relaxed“ added. (Fp)

Picture: Hartmut910