Twenty five babies tested for rare TB in Melbourne hospital scare

Jan 22 2008

Following the birth of a premature baby in a Melbourne hospital late last year with a rare form of tuberculosis (TB), blood tests are being carried out on 25 babies who were also in the hospital at the time of his birth.

The Infection Control Co-ordinator, for Southern Health, Dr. Rhonda Stuart, says the baby contracted the disease from his mother while in her womb; she was unaware she was carrying the bacteria.

Although the mother was healthy experts suspect the TB was present in her pelvis and was passed onto the baby just before or during birth.

The Monash Medical Centre where the baby was born say 25 newborn babies, their parents and 100 staff at the Monash Medical Centre are now being screened for TB as they may have come into contact with the baby.

According to the Monash Medical Centre the mother poses no risk to the community but she remains in hospital, while the baby has been placed in isolation.

Dr. Stuart says even though they believe the risk of anyone acquiring TB from the baby is very small, the precautionary TB screening and testing measures are being offered to people who had prolonged contact with the baby.

Dr. Stuart says congenital tuberculosis is a very rare occurrence especially in Australia and there have only been about 300 cases ever documented.

She says there are probably more cases in developing countries.

The lungs are usually the prime target of the TB germ and the disease is generally passed on through coughs and sneezes; left untreated it can be fatal.

It can remain dormant in a carrier and can be passed on during childbirth or in the womb and those infected with active TB are contagious for a period of around two weeks.

The infection is commonly treated with an extensive course of drugs.

There have been 9 cases of TB reported to Victorian health authorities this month.