TB testing net widened

Students from schools throughout the lower North Island are to be tested for tuberculosis after coming into contact with a Palmerston North Boys' High student who had to be hospitalised with the disease.

The 13-year-old boy was hospitalised last month and found to have an infectious form of TB, meaning 1800 Boys' High students, staff and relatives had to be tested.

Tests found 206 people had been exposed to the disease and 18 of them had an active form.

Mid Central District Health Board spokeswoman Claire McMahon said today the testing net was being thrown wider to include 90 people who had been at an interschool sports event in June, where the boy competed.

Ms McMahon could not say which schools were at the event or where it was held, saying only: "It was with schools from the lower half of the North Island."

The 90 people would have the first level skin test to see if they had been exposed to TB, before seeing if further assessment or treatment was required.

Ms McMahon said Public Health was tracing all the people who had come in contact with the boy, and the latest testing came as the net spread in "concentric circles".

It was possible more people might have to be tested.

Meanwhile, the sick boy is recovering at home and having treatment.

The other 18 suspected of having active TB were all starting treatment today with antibiotics.

Ms McMahon said it was not known where the 13-year-old boy had contracted the disease but the tracing of his contacts and "DNA fingerprinting" of the TB strain might show a link to other cases in New Zealand.

She said in New Zealand there were 418 cases of active TB in 2004 and 348 in 2005.

- NZPA