A TEACHER at a Kidderminster school has contracted the infectious disease tuberculosis.

However, health chiefs have urged parents not to worry as they say it is a common strain easily treated by drugs.

The teacher at St John's Middle School was diagnosed with TB on Tuesday and letters are due to arrive on parents doorsteps this morning.

Worcestershire director of public health Prof Brian McCloskey stressed TB was not the killer disease of years ago and the strain contracted by the teacher was of a normal lung type.

Prof McCloskey expects the teacher, who is not at school, to be recover from treatment "quite quickly".

He said yesterday afternoon: "There is no need for parents to worry and no need to be visiting their doctor.

"TB is not the killer disease it was. It is difficult to pass and to pick up. You have to be in close proximity to someone for a prolonged time, for example, in a house.

He added: "We will carry out screenings on children in the middle of next week.

"We have had three instances of TB in the last year in schools and in none of the instances did we find another case after screening."

The health chief would not reveal where the teacher had contracted the disease.

He added there were 25 cases in the county in the last year, mainly among elderly people, who had reactivated the disease after contracting it when younger.

TB was a dreaded disease until the 1940s when drugs became available for treatment.

Early symptoms include heavy coughing, tiredness and weight loss.

l Anyone with concerns about TB should call a free-phone number AFTER 5pm today on 0800 413315.