The original article can be found in: Antigua Observer By Alicia Simon
ST JOHN’S, Antigua – The Chief Medical Officer has confirmed some residents and staff at Clarevue Psychiatric Hospital have been “exposed” to tuberculosis – but categorically shot down claims there is a crisis brewing.
Dr Rhonda Sealy-Thomas sought to allay growing public fears that the psychiatric hospital might be ground zero for a tuberculosis outbreak, since news broke Monday alleging that as many as half of those tested at the facility had positive results, which indicate TB exposure.
Although Sealy-Thomas did not disclose how many persons were tested or found to be positive, she stressed there were no “active” cases discovered.
Persons tested included those who came in contact with a man suspected of having tuberculosis. Dr Sealy Thomas implied the group might even extend to visitors.
Persons tested included individuals who came in contact with a man suspected of having tuberculosis. This not only included residents and staff, but might extend to visitors.
“There was no TB outbreak at Clarevue … Some of the persons showed a positive reaction to the (Mantoux) test. That test is by no means a diagnosis of tuberculosis,” the chief medical officer said.
The doctor said what the test does mean is that those who reacted positively would need follow up services based on their particular circumstance, noting the Mantoux test results must be “interpreted” carefully, including an assessment of the person’s medical risk factors.
“Those persons have had no symptoms of TB, they have not been diagnosed as having TB. A positive Mantoux test does not mean a person has tuberculosis”, Dr Sealy-Thomas stressed.
Although the doctor would not conclusively link these new cases with the man, who she said the Ministry of Health deemed to have a “high suspicion” of having the disease, confirmation of that diagnosis has not be ascertained, thus far.
“There was no definitive diagnosis made before he died, as a measure of caution we decided to do the standard follow up on any possible contact as a public health precaution,” she said.
When asked if a post- mortem examination would be done on the deceased to ascertain whether he was, in fact, infected with TB, Dr Sealy-Thomas declined to comment further on his case.
