Tuberculosis infection detected in staff and residents at Danish care home

Ten employees and three residents at a care home in Vejle, Denmark, have tested positive for latent tuberculosis infection and are now receiving preventive antibiotic treatment, DR reports.

The infections were discovered after tuberculosis bacteria were found in a deceased resident who died from unrelated causes. Following the discovery, Vejle Municipality tested all staff and residents in the affected unit of Plejecenter Holmegården.

Senior municipal official Hanne Reinholt confirmed that 13 individuals—10 staff members and three residents—tested positive, with results still pending for 11 additional employees. She emphasised that none of those infected show symptoms or pose a transmission risk.

“The bacteria are latent in them, meaning the infection is not active, so they have no symptoms,” Reinholt said. “They are all doing well, and staff continue working as there is no risk.”

Christian Wejse, a professor of global health and infectious disease specialist at Aarhus University Hospital, explained that latent tuberculosis infections are non-contagious but can be treated preventively to avoid progression to active disease. He noted that while tuberculosis is not highly contagious, outbreaks in close-contact settings like care homes can affect multiple individuals.

Wejse estimated that 2–3% of Denmark’s population carries a latent tuberculosis infection, compared to roughly 25% globally. Some infections may date back to childhood, making it difficult to pinpoint when transmission occurred.