London TB Summit as Seven a Day Are Infected

TB experts met this week to discuss ways of tackling the resurgence of the disease in London. Almost half of Great Britain's new TB cases occur in London. On an average day, seven Londoners show the first signs of the disease -- a persistent cough, chest pains and sweats.

Almost 140 toddlers, parents, staff and caregivers were screened after an outbreak at Wee Ones nursery in Wandsworth in May, which stemmed from a teacher thought to have been infected abroad. Figures released Wednesday reveal that six children from the nursery and five family and friends of the teacher have full-blown TB. An additional 39 children and 12 friends and family from the nursery have a TB infection but not active TB.

Merton, Sutton and Wandsworth health authority is carrying out an internal investigation and considering whether the outbreak could have been prevented after the teacher's diagnosis in March. Dr. Emma Robinson, a consultant in communicable disease control at the authority, said, "The results support current evidence on TB -- only those in close contact with the index case are at risk. We made a concerted effort to screen as widely as possible in order to protect the community."

TB rates are high among London's homeless and in poor neighborhoods. There were more than 3,000 TB cases in London last year -- more than double the rate of New York. General practitioners and specialists have warned there are not enough resources to cope with London's rising TB rate.

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