CNN is reporting on Sunday that besides the 350 infants possibly exposed to tuberculosis, an additional 368 mothers or parents, and 308 employees were also potentially exposed to the hospital employee.
The Santa Clara Valley Medical Center in San Jose learned in mid-November that an employee working in the newborn nursery was suspected of having active tuberculosis, and was placed on leave, the hospital said in a press release on Friday, according to ABC News.
As a result of this news, all the babies, parents and employees who may have come in contact with the nurse will have to undergo testing for the potentially deadly disease. Not only that but as a precaution, all the infants born between mid-August and mid-November of this year will also be required to take an oral antibiotic treatment daily for six to nine months, regardless of the test’s results.
Dr. Stephen Harris, head of pediatrics at VMC, spoke at an afternoon teleconference on Friday, and the San Jose Mercury News quoted him as saying: “While the risk of actual infection is low, the consequences of tuberculosis infection in infants can be very severe.” He added that the parents and others family members had a much lower risk of getting the infection and could be tested in a more routine manner.
Dr. Harris said the nurse involved, who was not named for privacy reasons, was “not a very contagious individual” and did not report any coughing or sneezing at work.
The hospital said in a statement they would “provide both diagnostic testing and preventative daily treatments of isoniazid, an antibiotic that kills tuberculosis and can successfully prevent infants from becoming ill.”
“This incident is an unfortunate reminder that TB remains an ongoing health concern for our community,” Health Officer Dr. Sara Cody said. “The Public Health Department is working closely with our SCVMC colleagues to support their efforts in addressing the needs of their patients and staff.”
The nurse underwent her annual tuberculosis screening in September, and the results were negative. Her doctor found the TB when she underwent an examination for an unrelated medical problem, the hospital said. The nurse’s condition is not known at this time.
