Tuberculosis Infection in Children

What is TB?

“TB” is short for a disease called Tuberculosis.

What does Tuberculosis “TB” infection mean?

Does this mean my child has contagious tuberculosis? No, if your child has been

diagnosed with TB infection, it means that your child has a positive skin test and a

normal chest x-ray. He or she has the TB germ in his or her body, but is not contagious

and, therefore, cannot spread the germ to others.

How did my child become infected with the TB germ?

Your child has been exposed to an adult with contagious tuberculosis (usually pneumonia). TB is a germ that is spread through the air when someone with the contagious disease spreads the germ by coughing, laughing, sneezing, singing, or sometimes, by speaking. If the germ is breathed into the lungs, it multiplies, spreads throughout the body and causes an infection in the child. The germ can live in your child’s body without making him/her sick for a period of time. However, if left untreated your child can develop tuberculosis disease. In some instances this can be fatal. Parts of the body most commonly affected in children are the lungs and lymph nodes. You cannot get TB from someone’s drinking glass, clothes, toilet or by kissing.

My child is not sick! Why does he need to take medicine?

When results of the TB skin test show that your child has been infected, this tells us that

the TB germ is in your child’s body and can remain in the body for many weeks or years

before making your child sick. Therefore, it is better to kill the germ before it becomes

active and makes your child ill with tuberculosis. If taken properly, the medication will

get rid of the germs in your child’s body.

Tuberculosis Infection in Children continued

Isoniazid (INH) is the medicine to prevent tuberculosis!

INH is a special medication designed to kill the TB germ. It is a medication that must be

taken every day for 9 months to prevent tuberculosis disease. Taking INH irregularly or

skipping many days can keep the treatment from working. If that happens, your child

can develop TB pneumonia or meningitis. INH is only effective if taken as prescribed by

your doctor.

DEVELOPED BY THE PEDIATRIC TUBERCULOSIS TEAM

UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS, HOUSTON MEDICAL SCHOOL

1-800-LUNG-USA