Case of Tuberculosis Detected in Horacio Oduber Hospital (HOH) in Aruba

A case of infectious tuberculosis (tbc) as been detected in Aruba. It appears that this is the second reported case of the highly contagious disease in Aruba this year. The other being in July.

Tbc is a contagious infection disease, caused by the mycobacterium tuberculosis.  It is being spread by particles in the air coming from the coughing or sneezing of a patient.  Most of the time, tbc starts in the lungs, but can spread to other organs.  Harms explained that Aruba runs a high risk of getting tbc cases on the island.  “Colombia, Venezuela, Haiti, and the Dominican Republic are risk countries.

The hospital reports that the patient has been isolated to prevent any further contamination. Those patients that were in the same ward are being tested.

The HOH has also contacted all the patients that were in the same ward of the hospital during that period and are possibly infected.  They were asked to report at the Infectious Diseases Service, so that they can be tested for tbc.  Also the nurses and other employees of the hospital that were in the vicinity of the patient are being tested.

However, here is the troubling part. Who did this person with TB come in contact with outside of the hospital? When did they contract it? The hospital spokesperson says, that “Colombia, Venezuela, Haiti, and the Dominican Republic are risk countries” and  “it is impossible to test everybody for tbc that comes to Aruba from these countries.” TB is nothing to joke about and is highly contagious. When they same impossible to test “everybody” who comes from these countries to Aruba, do they mean as visitors or to work? I would have to believe that “guest workers” with work visas have to take certain medical tests in order to gain admittance on to Aruba. Then again I would have thought many other things would have occurred with investigation 101. They do not have that may people coming to their country in order for this to occur. Of course that discounts those that come to work in Aruba illegally.

For a country that solely relies on tourism for its economy I would hope they do not take TB with a grain of salt. Yet, we have witnessed the bumbling of the Natalee Holloway case for 17 months doing the same. Who could know? This is the cloud of doubt that is created when outsiders see a willingness to protect tourism at all cost.

Amigoe; October 25, 2006: Tuberculosis in the hospital 

ARUBA – A case of tuberculosis (tbc) was detected in the Horacio Oduber Hospital (HOH).  The patient in question was in the Medium Care ward of the hospital for two weeks mid October. 

Hospital spokesperson Bob Harms said that the patient has been isolated, in order to prevent further contamination.  The HOH has also contacted all the patients that were in the same ward of the hospital during that period and are possibly infected.  They were asked to report at the Infectious Diseases Service, so that they can be tested for tbc.  Also the nurses and other employees of the hospital that were in the vicinity of the patient are being tested. 

Tbc is a contagious infection disease, caused by the mycobacterium tuberculosis.  It is being spread by particles in the air coming from the coughing or sneezing of a patient.  Most of the time, tbc starts in the lungs, but can spread to other organs.  Harms explained that Aruba runs a high risk of getting tbc cases on the island.  “Colombia, Venezuela, Haiti, and the Dominican Republic are risk countries.  It is impossible to test everybody for tbc that comes to Aruba from these countries.  The HOH does therefore an internal medical check, which revealed open tbc”, said Harms.

This is the second time this year that tbc was detected in the HOH. The first time was in July. 

MRSA

Harms also indicated that the Meticilline Resistente Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA) bacterium is around.  He immediately emphasized that this bacteria has nothing to do with tbc.  MRSA was detected in the Intensive Care Unit last week.  The patients that were in ICU, had to be quarantined.  The unit was immediately closed and disinfected. The persons that have been in contact with these patients were also treated.

MRSA is a bacterium that is insensitive to most saleable antibiotic.  This disease is therefore difficult to control.  MRSA infection is dangerous for people with serious low resistance.  MRSA is a big threat for a hospital.