Children at Gorseinon Infant and Junior School will be screened for TB tomorrow (Wednesday 9 May) after a member of staff and her three children were diagnosed with TB last week.
All four are responding well to treatment and will return to school when better.
The National Public Health Service for Wales (NPHS) has advised that the risk of TB spreading within the school is very low.
Dr Mac Walapu, Consultant in Communicable Disease Control with the NPHS, said, ?We are following the normal practice of screening close contacts of someone with TB. So some children and staff have been advised to have the Mantoux skin test. Many will not need to be tested because they were not in close contact with the member of staff or her children.
The test involves injecting a small amount of purified sterile protein just under the skin in the forearm. The test can be read two to three days later. We will be seeing every tested child later this week to read the reaction.
If any child has a positive reaction then they will need further follow up such as an X ray to rule out TB. A positive test does not necessarily mean the child has TB. A positive result can be caused by a reaction to a previous BCG vaccination or to exposure to TB at any time in the past. It can also be caused by exposure to other germs similar to TB which are mostly harmless.?
There will be no final results available this week. The children will be closely monitored until the end of June, as per expert guidance.
Dr Walapu added, ?We have had very good support from the education authority and staff in the school. Parents have also been very co-operative and supportive.?
A special helpline has been set up on 0845 6003678. It is open Monday ? Friday 7am – 8pm. until Friday 18 May.