PREVENTIVE TREATMENT OF TUBERCULOSIS FOR CONTACT CHILDREN - CHOICE AND MANAGEMENT

The chemoprophylaxis of contacts around an infectious case of pulmonar y tuberculosis is effective in children and reduce the risk of seconda ry tuberculosis around 80 to 90 %. Some factors must be considered to treat children : age (younger than 4 years and teen-ages), close conta ct, 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 re command addition of rifampicin in high risk contacts and for lowering duration of therapy.