The Travel Clinic Ltd writes:
World TB Day is a worldwide initiative which aims at raising awareness about the global epidemics of tuberculosis and the efforts made to eliminate this preventable disease. World TB Day provides an opportunity to communicate TB-related problems and solutions and to support European TB-control efforts.
Public Health England has just released a report stating that EU cities with high rate ratios of tuberculosis included Birmingham, Brussels, London and Rotterdam, which had the highest rate ratios.
Public Health England will publish a national strategy on targeting those most in need of screening for TB and treatment later in 2014.
Many schools are preparing their pupils for either gap year travels or holidays abroad this year, and many are volunteering in countries where the rate of tuberculosis is high.
Tuberculosis is a risk in much of the developing world and while students are not at high risk while in Suffolk and Cambridgeshire, this is very different when they travel, live in inner cities or become healthcare workers. (Children who have a parent or grandparent who come from an at-risk country are entitled to vaccines free on the NHS.)
A mantoux test is given three days before the giving of the BCG vaccination, to establish whether or not the teenager already has immunity.
The BCG vaccination normally causes a blister, which may ooze or weep for some days, weeks or even months. If the teenager is contemplating travelling, the BCG vaccine should be given months before they leave the country, so the optimum time would be possibly before the exam season starts.
This vaccine is mandatory for UK healthcare workers. While it does not protect fully, it is the only available vaccine to protect against tuberculosis.
The highest rates of TB occur predominately in Africa, related to the HIV epidemic, i.e. >300 cases per 100,000 population. There were 8.6 million new cases estimated worldwide in 2012 as stated by WHO. The highest number of new cases were in India and China. Twenty-nine percent of cases were in SE Asia, 27% in Africa and 19% in the Western Pacific regions.
Further information: http://www.travelclinic.ltd.uk/
______________________________________________