PREVENTIVE TREATMENT OF TUBERCULOSIS FOR CONTACT CHILDREN - CHOICE AND MANAGEMENT

The chemoprophylaxis of contacts around an infectious case of pulmonary tuberculosis is effective in children and reduce the risk of secondary tuberculosis around 80 to 90 %. Some factors must be considered to treat children : age (younger than 4 years and teen-ages), close contact, heavy contamination. The choice of children for therapy is done by the Mantoux tuberculin test, in relation with the BCG vaccine status. The standard treatment is isoniazid, during 6 months. Some authors recommand addition of rifampicin in high risk contacts and for lowering duration of therapy.