Treating infected patients takes precedence over identifying strain, expert tells BBCpublished at 14:03 GMT
14:03 GMT
Malu Cursino
Live reporter
I’ve just spoken to Dr Zina Alfahl, who is a lecturer in bacteriology at the University of Galway in Ireland.
Dr Alfahl says it’s not unusual to see the UK Health Security Agency take time to confirm the strain of this meningitis outbreak.
When a meningococcal outbreak is detected, specialist laboratory testing is required. Labs will identify the strain through testing patient samples, usually blood or cerebrospinal fluid, she says.
Specialist labs can then determine the serogroup of the bacteria and sequence its genome – this information is vital as it helps public health teams see if cases are linked, and confirm which strain is circulating. It also helps them plan whether a targeted vaccination programme, or other interventions, are needed to halt the spread.
“This takes time,” she adds. Asked what would be an expected wait-time, Dr Alfahl says it can take anywhere between three and four days, or even a week.
It takes time because public health teams need to prioritise treating infected patients, identifying their close contacts, while in parallel lab technicians process samples and firm up what strain the outbreak belongs to.
The UKHSA says close contacts to those infected are being given antibiotics as a “precautionary measure”.
I asked Dr Alfahl whether that triggers any concerns about antimicrobial resistance, given the prophylactic use of antibiotics. It’s all about weighing the benefits and risks, she explains.
These courses of antibiotics are usually short-term and targeted, Dr Alfahl points out, adding that it is much safer for those who might be at risk to take the medication than to avoid it. The issue with antimicrobial resistance comes from “long-term courses of antibiotics and repeated exposure,” and that’s not the case here, she points out.