SALISBURY schoolchildren are being tested for tuberculosis today after a member of staff at their school was diagnosed with the disease.

Harnham Junior School is working with the Health Protection Agency (HPA) and Wiltshire NHS Primary Care Trust to offer testing for the bacterial infection to 76 schoolchildren.

TB is not easily passed from person to person and generally the risk to others is low but, as a precautionary measure, those children and members of staff who have had the closest contact with this member of staff have been offered a screening test.

Dr Bharat Pankhania, from the Wiltshire Health Protection Team, said: "First and foremost, it is important to stress that TB is difficult to catch. Those who are most at risk are those living in the same household. Screening systems are now sophisticated and go a long way to protecting the health of all concerned. If anyone is found to have TB it can be treated successfully with antibiotics."

Dr Maggie Rae, Wiltshire Director of Public Health, said: "We are working with the HPA, Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust, Wiltshire County Council and the school, ensuring that we provide as much information as possible to parents. I appreciate that news like this can cause concern, but testing is being arranged quickly and treatment is available should anyone be affected."

A letter from the school containing advice from the HPA and PCT has been sent to all parents at the school to inform them of the situation. Children in Year 3 and Year 4 will be offered a Mantoux test, the TB screening test, along with 15 members of staff, and the screening programme will end only once health agencies are satisfied that all at risk have been offered screening.

Results from the Mantoux test are expected early next week. Any positive tests at this stage do not necessarily mean the person has TB. They will then be offered a blood test and chest X-ray to allow further investigation. If anyone is then found to have TB they will be treated with antibiotics. These are highly effective, but treatment must be taken over a period of months to fully cure the disease.

TB is passed from one person to another in tiny droplets that are sneezed or coughed out by someone who has TB in their lungs. Only a small number of people exposed to an infectious person will become ill with TB. In most people, the body's immune system kills the bacteria and the person does not become ill.

The symptoms include a persistent cough that gets progressively worse, coughing up blood, unexplained weight loss, feeling unusually tired, fever and heavy night sweats, and not wanting to eat.

Anyone who is concerned about their symptoms should see their GP. Advice and information is also available from NHS direct on 0845 46 47 and www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk and www.hpa.org.uk.