Far from having disappeared, tuberculosis affects between 4,000 and 5,000 people in France each year. Recently, cases have been recorded in Gironde and Seine-Maritime. Here's what you need to know.
One case identified at the University of Rouen and 70 contact cases identified
On the campus of the law faculty of Rouen (Seine-Maritime), tuberculosis was diagnosed in a studentconfirmed the Regional Health Agency (ARS), this Tuesday, November 19. An investigation carried out by the Seine-Maritime Anti-Tuberculosis Center (CLAT) was able to identify around 70 contact cases, including around sixty students and around ten teachers.
The students were summoned on November 18 to a “mandatory meeting” led by nurses from the Rouen University Hospital, in order to explain the prevention system put in place. A screening will be put in place, “to be carried out at beginning of January 2025 »: it consists of carrying out a chest x-ray and one blood test, in order to “identify possible latent forms”, indicates the ARS
The Agency specifies that “people in contact with the case do not have to put in place specific barrier measures apart from the recommended measures in the event of respiratory symptoms. »
Two cases recorded in a nursery school in Libourne
Monday November 18, two cases were also detected by the Gironde Anti-Tuberculosis Center in a nursery schoolin Libourne. These are two young children from the same siblings. They were able to be taken care of and “to date, do not present more risk for the community concerned,” assured the department.
However, the CLAT of Gironde will be responsible for “expand screening” to all staff but also students “identified as contacts in the school”, specifies the department. External people who had been in contact with the two children were able to be identified and were taken into care to avoid any spread.
An information meeting is also being organized this Thursday, November 21 with parents of students whose children are concerned, CLAT doctors and the Bordeaux academic inspector. A vaccination will also be offered to children who are not up to date.
In February 2024, a case had already been detected, again in a nursery school in Libourne. It was a professor.
A disease that is transmitted by air
Tuberculosis is a notifiable diseasethat is to say that any case must be reported to the Regional Health Agency and/or to the epidemiologists of Public Health France. Caused by a mycobacterium (Koch's bacillus), this contagious respiratory disease is transmitted by air (coughs, splutters, sneezes, etc.), usually during prolonged and close contact. In France, the vaccine BCG nIt has been no longer mandatory since 2007, but it remains recommended in certain regions and in certain children at risk.
We distinguish the tuberculose latente (without symptoms) of tuberculose active (with symptoms) or tuberculosis disease (TM). Not everyone infected with Koch's bacillus will develop the disease: only 5 to 10% of them will. In this case, its manifestations are most often pulmonary (cough, breathing difficulties or pain, sputum, etc.) associated or not with general symptoms (fever, night sweats, etc.). Treatment is mainly based on the administration of antibiotics.
