Tuberculosis case linked to 2006 school outbreak

A new case of tuberculosis at Palmerston North Boys' High School is believed to be related to a major outbreak of the disease which hit the school in 2006.

The Year 13 student has been quarantined at home for seven weeks after he coughed up blood, but is no longer considered contagious, the Manawatu Standard reported.

He is believed to have caught the non-infectious strain during the previous outbreak among year 9 students.

His infection developed into full-blown disease earlier this year.

Fewer than five per cent of people who undergo treatment go on to develop the disease.

"Testing of contacts at highest risk of infection has so far showed no evidence of further disease spread," said MidCentral District Health Board medical officer of health Jill McKenzie.

More than one in 10 of the 1800-plus students and staff at the college were infected with the disease in 2006.

That led to the treatment of 250 people, including 15 people who contracted the contagious version.

Palmerston North Boys' High School rector Tim O'Connor said the latest scare hit "close to the nerve".

The school sent letters to all parents informing them of the infection and spoke to students at assembly. Year 13 students were tentative about the news, he said.

"Everyone who went through testing in 2006 is always going to wonder."

- NZPA