St Vincent’s Hospital: Sydneysiders at risk after tuberculosis outbreak
A tuberculosis outbreak at St Vincent’s Hospital in Sydney could have left hundreds of patients and staff potentially exposed after a cluster of five people tested positive to the disease.
NSW
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Hundreds of patients and staff members at St Vincent’s Hospital have been exposed to a tuberculosis outbreak after a cluster of five people tested positive to the disease.
The five people all have the same strain of the illness – with four of them believed to have contracted it when they were all in the same area of the hospital at the one time.
Health authorities understand that it is likely that one patient infected two other patients and a staff member during their stay.
A spokesman said that the first case did not appear to have any of the obvious signs of TB when he came to the emergency department on October 30 where he was treated for asthma and pneumonia.
It is understood the man then unknowingly infected two immunocompromised patients and the staff member.
The man was diagnosed with TB one month after his initial visit.
The spokesman said after he was diagnosed, he was treated in isolation with staff members wearing PPE.
The fifth case was diagnosed through genome sequencing but it is not yet clear if he had any physical contact with the other four cases.
The hospital is working with NSW Health and TB clinical experts to identify any more staff members, patients or members of the public who could have been infected in the outbreak.
Hundreds of people have been identified as contacts of the cluster and are being tested.
“It’s important to know that the risk of infection to those that we have identified as potentially being at risk is low. However, as a precaution we are recommending TB screening which involves a one-off blood test,” St Vincent’s TB specialist Dr Anthony Byrne said.
“Depending on their circumstances and the results, they may also be recommended to have a chest x-ray and medical review. Preventive therapy may also be offered.
“It’s also important to note that if infection with TB does occur, most people (90 per cent) will never get sick and cannot infect other people.”
The hospital is now conducting initial screening and assessments throughout Monday to Friday while a second team has been set up to review those patients who are deemed at high risk of exposure.
The hospital has set up a TB hotline on 1800 943 123.