University tests students for TB after one falls ill

A university has revealed it is dealing with its own tuberculosis scare in the wake of a case which required widespread precautions for a high school in Palmerston North.

A student at Canterbury University tested positive for the disease this year and testing of at least 120 students who shared classes with him is continuing to ensure they are clear.

The university was midway through a testing programme, with 60 students tested so far, said university spokesman John McDonald. No further positive cases had been found.

In Manawatu, more than 1800 Palmerston North Boys High School students, staff and close contacts have had tests after a Year 9 pupil tested positive for TB last month.

The medical director of Canterbury University's campus health centre, Dr Joan Allardyce, said initial testing had been done after the discovery of the infected student.

"Anybody in the same classes as the student will have been invited for testing," he said.

"You won't get positive results instantly that somebody has been near somebody with TB. Some time after possible contact, you do this test and then you retest a couple of months later to see if there is any change in the response."

An update on the infected student's health was not available yesterday.

Canterbury University students' association president Warren Poh was unaware of the TB scare when contacted by the Weekend Herald. He would look into it so the association could provide information to students.