Please see below an update on the TB community screening exercise recently carried out in Llwynhendy by Public Health Wales and Hywel Dda University Health Board.
The update provides:
- Details on the findings of the screening exercise
- Details of the next steps being taken by Public Health Wales and Hywel Dda University health board to support patients that require further testing and/or treatment
- Guidance that can be shared with members of the community that require further information or advice
If you require any further information, please contact Anna Ashman in the Public Health Wales Communications Team in the first instance.
Best wishes
Anna
Findings
- No new cases of active TB have been identified through the screening exercise to date.
- Seventy six cases of latent TB have been identified through the screening exercise to date. Latent TB is not infectious, cannot be passed to other people and does not require urgent treatment.
- Fifty three individuals will be invited for repeat testing after receiving inconclusive results.
- More than 1400 people were screening during the screening exercise.
- Screening was deferred for more than 600 individuals, who will be sent appointments by Hywel Dda University Health Board to attend for screening.
Active vs Latent TB
Latent TB occurs when individuals have been infected with the germ that causes TB, but do not have active TB disease. They are not infectious and cannot spread TB infection to others, and do not feel unwell and or have any symptoms.
If latent TB bacteria become active in the body and multiply, the person will go from having latent TB infection to having active TB disease.
For this reason, people with latent TB infection should be treated to prevent them from developing active TB disease.
Next steps
- Public Health Wales and Hywel Dda University Health Board have written to those individuals who were screened with their results.
o Negative results have been sent by letter to patients from Public Health Wales, and this letter has been copied to patients’ GPs.
o Positive results have been sent by letter to patients from Hywel Dda Health University Board, along with an invitation for them to attend a hospital outpatient clinic to discuss the results and any further tests or treatment required.
- Hywel Dda University Health Board will be writing to more than 600 individuals whose screening was deferred with an appointment to attend for screening.
Guidance for the members of the community
- Individuals in the target group (see Appendix A) who have not been screened and do not have symptoms of TB should contact the TB helpline on 029 2082 7627.
- Individuals with symptoms of TB should contact their GP or NHS Direct Wales on 0845 46 47.
- Individuals who have been screened but have not received their results should ensure that the address with which they are registered with a GP is current.
- Information Governance prevents Public Health Wales providing results to patients by phone so patients should not contact Public Health Wales directly for their results.
Appendix A
Target group for Llwynhendy Community Screening Exercise
The groups of people eligible to be screened are:
- People who have received a letter inviting them to attend for screening
- Adult customers and employees of the Joiners Arms public house in Llwynhendy between 2005 and 2018 only, who have not previously been identified as a contact of someone infected with TB
- Adults who have been in the same room for more than 8 hours as someone with TB, within four months before the person with TB was diagnosed and treated
