General Chat

OC I understood the specialist to say that I had picked up the TB bugs because I had NOT had the vaccination. I did not have the vaccination because I was considered to have had natural immunity when I had the BCG test at school. At that time, we were told we had probably had some contact with TB bugs and our bodies had reacted to this, providing us with this immunity.(No TT milk available in the village when I was a child) When I was tested at school, I'm pretty sure there was no reaction, just the little 6 needle mark. The second test - instant burning sensation in my arm, followed by tremendous itch, redness and slight swelling. Couldn't believe it - I had natural immunity - they'd told me so when I was 10/11 !! Interestingly enough, there were 6 of us who had some slight reaction - all over 40, all deemed at our first BCG test at school to have natural immunity and NOT to need vaccinating. The other person who was recommended to have a course of antibiotics suffered from Addisons, and there was a problem finding a suitable drug for her. As far as I know, she did nothing about it. I was perfectly well, could not pass on any bugs to anyone, BUT was carrying the potential to develop full-blown TB in the future, either in old age or if I developed some other condition which weakened my system. I found it horrifying - all 6 of us had been told as children TB was one thing we would never get. Jay

I had T.B. of the lungs back in 1968/9 all my children had to have an injection as did my mum and dad and OH and his mum and dad and any of our friends at the time Hazelx

I think from what I,m seeing ..few peeps are getting it ......But T.B is now drug resistant ...so therefore inject or not ..we are in trouble with it . new drugs are being developed and seem to work!! so we just hope I guess A case of ..' our lives in their hands' ...!

Apparently T.B. is supposed to have been eradicated in the UK, thus the reason for not imunising, although with immigration as it is these days TB has returned to many countries in Europe. Here in Spain children can be vaccinated it is optional.

Janet That is exactly what I was told - that I had a natural immunity, caused by having had, at some point, a mild attack of TB. I had a huge reaction to the skin test - so bad that I was taken to hospital by the school nurse. I was later sent for an x-ray and that is when they picked up mild TB damage to my lungs. I never had the vaccination because of this. Hmmm! OC

OC I had a chest Xray as a child (mass-screening before the advent of the BCG test) another before starting college, another before starting work and then a further one at the time of the scare. As far as I know, they were ALL clear - my GP told me I didn't have TB, merely the potential for it to develop! The treatment was supposed to be precautionary. Perhaps if there was evidence that you had already had it, it was a different scenario? All I can say is that out of a work force of about 30, one had TB, so 29 others were tested. 6 caused concern and 2 of those 6 needed treatment. None of the 6 had actually worked alongside the TB patient - we just happened to work under the same roof, so it was almost random testing. That was the frightening bit!! Jay

Have just read your post Connie, and had heard before that they were stopping the BCG injections for teenagers in school.... what annoys me is that I have an acquaintance, who happens to have a high standard of living, no expense spared sort of thing.....and she caught T.B......how.......well her Doctor told her that because of the high TB rate in ethnic countries, and how easy it is for families to travel back and forward to these countries, it is becoming rife in certain areas..... and they still choose to ban BCG for kids......my Dad nearly died of TB when I was 9.....as it was I did not see him for a year because he was in a sanitorium, and then 6 months convalescence at home before he went back to work.....I did not have BCG because apparently I had built up enough immunity ????.....thank God for streptomycin...

nudging cos this should be with Julie's thread

well looking at all the replys has given me food for thought . I am more concerned now than when my daughter brought the letter home in the 1st place . I think i'll be having a word with our doctor and like Irish girl if i have to, i will offer to pay especially since reading in the newspaper this morning of the bus driver who has infected all those children