Mantoux test as a diagnostic method was proposed by French physician Charles Mantoux. Based on medical research of tubercle bacilli, it is suggested the hypodermic injection of tuberculin – test in children, the causative agent of severe disease.
Mantoux test, tuberculin test otherwise – nakojna or subcutaneous injection designed to identify the presence of specific immunity to the introduction of tuberculin. It is done annually, 12 months after the birth of the crumbs. The procedure is done for children vaccinated in the nursing home, and those whose parents refused BCG vaccination.
Mantoux is not a vaccine. This is a reaction to the presence in the body of the child of Koch’s Bacillus, the main “culprit” of tuberculosis. It shows how a child’s immune system ready to fight the virus from the outside.
The main active substance, tuberculin, is a mixture of dead tuberculosis bacteria, which are killed by heat exposure. After the injection in the place of administration of the drug formed a “button”- papule, which is expected to grow in the presence of the pathogen.
How is the Mantoux test
The sample is held annually around the same time. Sure need to visit the pediatrician. He will assess the condition of the child and give direction to the procedure. Most pediatricians recommend for children 3 days before and 3 days after injection of tuberculin to take antiallergic drug type “Zodak”, “Core”, “Zyrtec”.
The procedure is quite simple: for one time disposable syringe with a thin short needles inserted under the skin in the forearm dose equal to two tuberculin units. To put Mantu is only allowed in the treatment rooms. The child is in a sitting position, if necessary, the mother should strongly hold the hand that the kid could not pull out. Every year the alternate arm: left forearm, right.
Manipulation is virtually painless, in most cases absolutely harmless. To do the test in the clinic or at an educational institution. After some time, the doctor measures the size of the papule arising on the injection site. Its size depends on the presence of infection in the body.
Evaluation of response – verification of result
Not less important is the question, which day trial of check. Outcome evaluation is conducted after 72 hours. To do this, use a transparent ruler that has a millimeter division. It is important that the measurements made professional with very good lighting.
| The result | Description | The norm |
| Negative | At the injection site leave no trace. The body is either not met the peddler of the disease, or he successfully cope with the pathogen. | 0 – 0.1 mm |
| Questionable | There is redness around the “buttons”, but no seal. Doctors this result is assessed as the child’s lack of Koch’s Bacillus. | 2 – 4 mm |
| Positive | A papule is a red, pressing the felt seal. Probably, the infection has already taken place as a result of contact with a sick person. | 6 mm or more |
Important! Not always the lack of large inflamed papules indicates a negative result. A positive result can be not only if the child is a carrier of the disease.
Often red, enlarged papule, the result of a misplaced injection. The positive sample characteristic of children who are prone to allergies.
No less important is the right care for the “button”. It is unacceptable to wet the site of the injection, to RUB, to smear with brilliant green, iodine or alcohol solutions. All this leads to the fact that the papule will increase in size, and the result will be unreliable.
Is it possible to do a Mantoux test with a cold in a child?
Compatible Mantoux and runny nose? That’s what worries parents when the time comes to tuberculin, and the child has obvious problems with the nose.
Test when cold and undesirable. This is due to the fact that the child got the virus, begins to fall ill, this increases the load on all organs and systems. To do the test when cold – so make this load even more. How to cope with it the body, is unknown. The immune system tense, tuberculin can only complicate the situation.
Runny nose – a symptom of the beginning of the respiratory illness (ARI). If the sample is put the baby with snot, in a short time there is a change in the size of the “buttons”. This can often be the cause of geresultater and destination of unnecessary treatments. Mantoux, in principle, is not 100% informative about the presence of the disease, runny nose same as provoking factor, affects the result of the test. Parents who are in the cold doing a Mantoux test to the child, the risk of getting some complications. As a result, they can expect a trip to the TB doctor to a specialist dealing with the diagnosis and treatment of tuberculosis.
Mantu after the common cold – how many can you do?
Many parents are unable to navigate to do a test after a cold. The main rule here – the child should be absolutely healthy. To put a Mantoux test even if the residual cold is not worth it. The same applies to any, even the most easy of disease manifestations.
If the baby is healthy and the pediatrician confirmed it, then on the introduction of the reagent, it can only go 7-10 days after suffering a cold. This rule does not apply to children with allergies. Due to delays in the sample can cause serious complications. These children can not do “vaccination” is earlier than a month after the complete disappearance of all symptoms.
Why doctors are allowed to put Mantu during the cold?
Many district doctors-pediatricians do not believe a runny nose contraindication for Mantoux. The explanations you give are quite logical: the skin test is not a vaccine, no virus kid is not administered. The Mantoux test is a reagent that shows there is a problem or not. Tuberculin has no effect on the immune system, respectively, when the nozzle test is acceptable. Moreover, some doctors insist on tuberculin test, even with a strong cough, pain in the throat.
Dr. Komorowski is among those who believes runny serious reason for the refusal of a test for tuberculosis. The risk of Contracting a severe virus is so great that to neglect the skin test is not necessary, even in the case of a cold baby. So do test to a child with a runny nose, a parent decides, after consultation with the doctor.
Contraindications to the procedure
Some doctors assure that the sample is harmless, even if you put a manta with a small cold. It is not so. Harmless it is only for those who completely healthy and has no serious abnormalities in the development of various pathologies.
From the introduction of tuberculin should be abandoned in the following cases:
- Allergy in children;
- exacerbation of chronic diseases;
- epilepsy;
- SARS (Mantoux and snot combining is unacceptable);
- the child is in quarantine in kindergarten or school;
- not enough time has passed after vaccination with BCG.
Possible complications after Mantoux
Unfortunately, not all doctors recognize that Mantu may have side effects. In reality, complications after conducting a tuberculin test is not uncommon.
Among the possible side effects are:
- temperature rise;
- lethargy, lack of appetite, up to complete refusal from food;
- problems with the digestive tract, including the failure of the stomach;
- itching, skin rashes, allergies;
- one week after the injection may occur cough.
Important! If the baby has a fever, and injection site became hot and compacted, you should immediately contact a doctor or call an ambulance.
Reasons why not to do the skin test when there is any manifestation of cold, is obvious. However, this does not mean that the sample does not need to put quite. Uninformed parents are afraid of themselves and all others myths about tuberculin test. Following this, I went to a mass abandonment of the procedure. In modern reality it is impractical. Only a parent through timely diagnosis can save your child from the terrible disease. Easier to prevent disease than to treat it.
