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TB

7 replies

TheSmallClanger · 19/01/2009 21:35

Someone a friend of mine lives with claims to have TB. She also claims she is not seeing a UK doctor about it, and was being treated overseas (she is Chinese).
My friend is anxious about infection, and has been told by his own GP that the housemate should have a doctor in the UK, and the local health authority should be informed. They live in a private student hall, so infection could be a problem. Although he has had the BCG vaccination, he is still worried that he might end up catching a new strain.

He has told the warden of the hall what he knows, but when questioned about it, his housemate denied what she said. It is possible she was lying - she "admitted" her illness while making excuses for spitting in the wash handbasin (?).

Does anyone have any advice I can pass on to him? There is litte reliable advice concerning vaccinations about, and he is rather an anxious sort of person.

OP posts:
AnyFucker · 19/01/2009 21:38

TB is a notifiable disease.

She must register with a doctor and get it documented.

Spitting in the washbasin?

Potential infection risk.

I really hope this isn't true.

TheSmallClanger · 19/01/2009 21:40

I know, it sounds disgusting. I didn't make it up, although it is a second-hand story, admittedly.

OP posts:
thirtysomething · 19/01/2009 21:45

friend of mine caught TB even though she'd had the BCG - Dr said if she hadn't been vaccinated it would have been even worse. As it was she was extremely ill. It's a very serious disease and it's a moral responsibility to alert public health as it spreads quickly and can be very bad for someone with low immunity or bad lungs etc.

tiggerlovestobounce · 19/01/2009 21:47

If this is true then I would contact my local public health department and give them the details. Legislation exists to allow this type of situation to be dealt with, even without the persons consent.

TheSmallClanger · 19/01/2009 21:56

I will let him know.

This friend is the son of one of my old friends. I got a panicked phone call asking for me to talk to him, because I used to be a pastoral Tutor in halls in my postgrad days.

I do suspect that someone is not telling the full truth, but I felt I should take his concerns seriously.

OP posts:
TheSmallClanger · 20/01/2009 21:16

Update - I have had an email from the lad concerned and it seems no-one has TB. Someone from Student Health came out to them earlier today and she broke down in tears and admitted to lying.

It was something to do with a dispute about spitting in the washbasin and she was trying to use illness as an excuse, apparently.

OP posts:
AnyFucker · 20/01/2009 22:12

ooohhh, phew

a bit juvenile though, isn't it?

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