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South Africa: School Fears Pupil Has Lethal TB Strain
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Cape Argus (Cape Town)
23 April 2008
Posted to the web 24 April 2008
Di Caelers and Murry Williams
Cape Town
An Edgemead High School pupil suspected to be suffering from a deadly strain of tuberculosis has health authorities on high alert in Cape Town, testing pupils and teachers with whom she has been in contact for signs of the disease.
They are set to resort to the Child Care Act to ensure that the girl is returned to Brooklyn Chest Hospital, from where she was allegedly removed by her father, to get the essential treatment.
The head of health in the Western Cape, Professor Craig Househam, confirmed that the child was at best suffering from multi-drug resistant (MDR) TB.
But it was suspected that she could have the more lethal extremely-drug-resistant (XDR) TB, which has already taken 34 lives in the province.
Househam said the results of tests of people with whom the girl had had close contact were expected to take at least 48 hours.
Paddy Atwell, spokesperson for the Western Cape Education Department, confirmed that that the girl was a Grade 8 pupil.
The US Centres for Disease Control describe MDR TB as "TB that is resistant to at least two of the best anti-TB drugs".
XDR-TB is resistant to all first and second-line drugs.
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But Househam said initial reports were that the girl's prognosis was good, provided she got treatment immediately.
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