Five children have been diagnosed with tuberculosis in the central city of Rehovot, Israel's Health Ministry reported Thursday evening.
An epidemiological investigation revealed that the children were infected by one of the employees in their childcare center. All of the children, and the employee, are doing well.
The Health Ministry is continuing its epidemiological investigation, and is in constant contact with the children's parents.
After the staffer was confirmed to have contracted tuberculosis, the district Health Ministry office, working together with the Tuberculosis Department of the Health Ministry, worked to explain to the parents the necessary actions.
The Ministry noted that the chance of the children infecting others with tuberculosis is low, since the infants' coughing is not developed enough to spread the infection.
Tuberculosis, colloquially known as "white death" or "consumption," is a contagious disease usually caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosism bacteria. The disease generally affects the lungs, but can also affect other parts of the body. Most cases are asymptomatic, but about 10% of latent infections progress to active disease which, untreated, kills about 50% of those affected.
Symptoms include chronic cough with blood-containing mucus, weight loss, night sweats, and fever. When organs other than the lungs are affected, other symptoms may appear.
The disease is spread through the air, when those with active tuberculosis in their lungs sneeze, cough, spit, or speak. Those with latent tuberculosis do not spread the disease.
Prevention involves screening those at risk, early detection and treatment, and vaccination. Treatment requires extended use of multiple antibiotics, but there are increasing numbers of antibiotic-resistant tuberculosis cases.