Q: My daughter was tested for mantoux during the first routine visit to a doctor in USA. Her reaction to the test was 16 mm. Chest x-ray is clear and she has no symptoms and is fine health wise. Now she is advised to take INH for 9 months. What should I do? She has had her BCG vaccine in India.

A:Children below 3 years of age who are test Mantoux positive and have no evidence of tuberculosis, should receive 6 - 9 months of INH as prophylaxis or preventive treatment, as it is taken that they have been exposed to tuberculosis in the recent past.