CHICAGO, Apr 11, 2009 (UPI via COMTEX) -- A 26-year-old pediatric resident
potentially exposed hundreds of patients, including babies, to tuberculosis,
officials at three Chicago-area hospitals say.
The female resident, a doctor-in-training from Northwestern University, was
diagnosed with TB this week, said the Chicago Department of Public Health.
As of Friday, no one who had been around the woman had been diagnosed with TB
and doctors say the risk to patients is minimal, the Chicago Tribune reported
Saturday.
The three hospitals where she worked, however, are continuing to notify patients
who may have been exposed to the woman during the last 10 months, the Tribune
said.
The three hospitals are Northwestern Memorial Hospital, Children's Memorial
Hospital and Evanston Hospital.
TB is a bacterial disease that usually affects the lungs and can be but fatal if
left untreated. People who have been exposed for 120 hours or more to someone
with TB are most at risk for infection, said Dr. Susan Gerber, chief medical
officer of the Chicago health department.
URL: www.upi.com
Copyright 2009 by United Press International