Children await results on tests

Dec 8 2006 By The Journal

Children at a North school are facing an anxious wait to see whether they are carrying a bug which can cause pneumonia.

Around 70 pupils at Priory Primary School in Tynemouth, North Tyneside, were vaccinated yesterday after four classmates contracted the illness.

Mouth swabs were taken and are being tested to see if further cases are likely.

A spokeswoman for the Health Protection Agency said: "We now need to find out if the pneumenococcal strain is being carried by any other children within the group.

"The strain is normally carried in the back of the throats of healthy people, and it's not known quite why some go on to develop pneumonia while others don't.

"Any further steps necessary will involve antibiotics being prescribed."

Three of the children affected, aged four and five, needed hospital treatment, but are recovering.

The fourth case, at the end of November, did not require hospital treatment.