Investigators in Sacramento and Solano counties said that fewer infants were exposed to tuberculosis in two hospitals than previously thought, Capital Public Radio's "KXJZ News" reports.
The hospitals now are testing their employees for the infection ("KXJZ News," Capital Public Radio, 5/23).
Background
On Tuesday, Sacramento and Solano county and hospital officials warned the parents of 35 infants that their newborns had been exposed to tuberculosis while in neonatal intensive care units at Sutter Memorial Hospital and NorthBay Medical Center.
The officials determined that 20 infants in Sacramento County and 15 in Solano County were exposed to the infection when an individual with TB visited the intensive care units.
By law, the officials cannot disclose the identity of TB patients. However, they said the individual is a Solano County resident and not a hospital staff member (California Healthline, 5/23). On Wednesday, officials said the individual had a valid reason to be at the hospitals and had not been diagnosed with TB at the time (Wohlsen, AP/Sacramento Bee, 5/23).
The patient now is in isolation and receiving treatment, according to officials (California Healthline, 5/23).
More Details on Infection
Now, county investigators are reporting that 11 newborns in Sacramento and 14 in Solano County are at risk for the infection.
Meanwhile, 50 Sutter Memorial workers have been told that they need to be tested. Hospital officials at NorthBay have not said how many of its employees could have been exposed to TB ("KXJZ News," California Public Radio, 5/23).
However, Michael Stacey -- chief medical officer for Solano County -- said any adults at the hospital who might have been exposed will be tested for their own safety and to assess how contagious the infected person was while visiting the facility.
Stacey added that there is no evidence that the infection is drug-resistant (AP/Sacramento Bee, 5/23). He said there are no signs of "any mutations in the DNA of the TB that would cause resistance to the medications that we use" ("KXJZ News," California Public Radio, 5/23).