In all preschool and school institutions for children, polyclinics, the Mantoux reaction is being staged. At least once, but every mother was faced with the fact that the Mantoux test was enlarged, which led to an obligatory visit to the TB dispensary. What does the words "Mantoux", "reaction" and "test" all the same say? Let's understand together.
In general, the Mantoux test is a specific inflammatory reaction of the human body to the introduction of a dose of tuberculin. So, the reaction to Mantoux in children is manifested when there are activated lymphocytes in the body. It is these cells that give a reaction in the place where tuberculin was injected. They are formed by the contact of the human body with microbacteria of tuberculosis. A similar reaction occurs after BCG vaccination, which means the following: if the child is not infected with this microbacteria, the reaction will be negative. The tuberculin itself is an inferior antigen, so it can not provoke a reaction. The organism reacts exclusively to microbacteria of tuberculosis or BCG vaccine. In this case, the child develops immunity, that is, there are lymphocytes that, when injected with tuberculin, cause reddening on the skin. This is the positive Mantoux reaction in children, which is conducted to inform about the presence and potential of immunity.
Evaluation of Mantoux test results
One day each child will be infected with microbacteria of tuberculosis, but the question is how exactly his body will react to this attack. For this, the Mantoux test is carried out.
If the BCG vaccine was given to a newborn in the maternity hospital on the fourth or seventh day of life, then at the age of one year, it is possible to check the Mantoux reaction for the first time. Doing it earlier is meaningless, because the result will be a questionable reaction to Mantou, who will not say anything.
Evaluation of the Mantoux reaction, that is, reddening of the skin at the site of administration of the substance, is carried out after three days. After BCG, the norm of manti in children under the age of three years will be questionable or positive. As to which Mantoux size is the norm, there are several options. The first reaction provides that the permissible sizes of Mantoux will be within 5-15 mm if there is a hem from BCG. If there is none, then we should expect a false positive Mantoux reaction in the child. In most cases, after the fourth year of life, the Mantoux reaction in children corresponds to the norm, that is, it is negative. Let us clarify again what the negative Mantoux reaction in children means, which is the norm. At the place where tuberculin was injected, after 72 hours only a knock-off reaction should be observed. Simply put, a slightly reddened hole from the syringe needle.
Contraindications and rules of Mantoux test
The child to be tested should be absolutely healthy, do not have cutaneous, allergic diseases (as in
And finally, let us remind you that everyone knows that skin in the place where the Mantoux sample was made can not be wetted. Water as a result of the reaction can cause inflammation, which distorts the real result. Most likely, in this case, the child will have to be examined for TB in the tuberculosis.
Be healthy!