Multi-Drug Resistant (MDR) TB Outbreak | Western Cape Government

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Multi-Drug Resistant (MDR) TB Outbreak

11 October 2005
The Western Cape Department of Health has been notified of a suspected outbreak of Multi Drug Resistant Tuberculosis (MDR TB) at a High School on the Cape Flats.

The suspicion was raised when 4 young patients between 13 and 19 years were recently admitted with MDR TB to a TB Hospital in Cape Town. Three of the patients are current learners at the school and the fourth left the school at the end of last year. A fifth case, an adult from the community near the school, has also been identified as having MDR TB and subsequently been admitted to hospital.

On notification, the Department immediately instituted a thorough investigation and has established through specialised DNA fingerprinting tests that the TB bacteria (strain) that infected four of the cases is similar. We are waiting for further results to confirm that an outbreak has occurred. The Department has commenced a full investigation of contact tracing into the households of the confirmed cases.

Occasionally outbreaks of this nature do occur and need to be identified quickly for early treatment and isolation if necessary. Because all four cases come from the same school, the Department has decided to pro-actively screen all learners at the school for TB symptoms.

This will be done with minimal disruption of school activities. TB has an incubation period lasting many months and it is possible that other learners may have already been infected. Most of them however will not necessarily become ill. The best way to respond to such a situation is to identify all infected cases and provide early treatment and ongoing monitoring. This would best be done at school, with the support of the educators, parents and the surrounding communities.

The Department of Health has convened a task team to manage the suspected MDR TB outbreak. The team includes representatives from the Departments of Education, Health and City of Cape Town as well as well academic experts in the field. The team has since met regularly to ensure that the possibility of an outbreak is closely monitored and appropriately contained. Information sessions are currently taking place with the entire school including the principal, teachers, learners and parents.

MDR TB is the biological reaction of the TB bacteria to anti-TB drugs, as a result of inadequate treatment of "ordinary TB" leading to major lung damage, increasing the risk that the disease may become chronic, in spite of treatment. In the Western Cape it occurs in less than 1% of new and in about 4% of re-treatment cases of the disease. It is about as infectious as ordinary TB. Treatment for MDR is difficult and expensive, and takes about 18 - 24 months.

Pierre Uys, Minister of Health in the Western Cape says, 'The Department of Health will conduct pro-active case findings in the school, to raise awareness and identify any further potential learners who might have contracted TB. All potential TB suspects will be tested for TB. This is being done rapidly to prevent further spread of the TB'.

Cameron Dougmore, the Western Cape Minister of Education has called on all school principals to co-operate with the health authorities in the interest of the safety of our learners and says, 'We cannot afford to risk the safety of any of our learners to preventable diseases'.

MDR TB is best controlled by preventing drug resistance through early diagnosis so that there is little lung damage and by ensuring complete treatment and cure at the first attempt.

The Department is appealing to anyone coughing for more than 2 weeks to present themselves to their nearest health clinic to be tested for TB. TB and MDR TB are treatable and curable. All TB patients are encouraged to complete their treatment.

Issued by the Communications Directorate of the Western Cape Department of Health.

Enquiries:
Herman Van der Westhuizen
Media Liaison for the Minister of Health
Cell: 0827729161

Faiza Steyn
Director Communications
Department of Health
Tel: +27 21 483 3235
Mobile 076 333 7185/ 082 801 6960

Gert Witbooi
Media Liaison Officer for the Western Cape Minister of Education
Cell: 0825503938

Paddy Attwell
Director: Communications
Tel: +27 21 467 2531
Mobile 083 2617699

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