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A confirmed case of tuberculosis at the Mainiokoti Andante care home in Espoo has led to the exposure of 99 individuals, according to the Western Uusimaa wellbeing services county.
The individual who tested positive is no longer at the facility and is receiving treatment elsewhere. The case was identified within the past week, said Tinja Lääveri, chief physician for infection prevention in the region.
The exposed group includes care home residents and staff. Authorities are contacting everyone affected and arranging for chest X-rays to check for signs of pulmonary tuberculosis. Symptoms will also be monitored.
“The risk of developing infectious pulmonary tuberculosis is low,” Lääveri said.
There is currently no infection risk at the facility. Residents and visitors are allowed to continue normal activities. All necessary precautions were taken immediately after the diagnosis.
Tuberculosis does not spread through surfaces or hand contact. It transmits through airborne particles, especially when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or speaks. Long-term close contact, such as within households, presents the highest risk. Short or incidental encounters are unlikely to result in transmission.
Roughly one in three people exposed to tuberculosis becomes infected, according to the regional health authority. Most infections remain latent, causing no symptoms and posing no risk of further spread. Only a minority of those infected develop active disease.
Pulmonary tuberculosis is the most common form and may cause a persistent cough lasting over three weeks, sputum production, or coughing up blood. Other symptoms include chest pain, difficulty breathing, fever, night sweats, unintended weight loss, fatigue, and swollen lymph nodes.
The care home provides 24-hour housing services for elderly residents. Authorities did not confirm whether the infected individual was a resident or a visitor, citing privacy concerns.
All medical evaluations and treatments related to tuberculosis are free of charge in Finland. The care home will assist with arranging follow-up tests if needed.
The most recent data from the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) reported 184 tuberculosis cases in Finland last year. Of those, 125 were pulmonary.
HT
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Source: www.helsinkitimes.fi
