Q: I am suffering from tuberculosis and taking the Mantaux kit. I have a 3 years old child. Is this disease infectious and what precautions can be taken by me?

A:You have not mentioned how your TB was diagnosed. Contacts of patients with a clinically significant result on tuberculin skin testing should be administered a course of treatment once active infection and disease is ruled out (latent TB). The recommended regimens are Isoniazid daily for 9 months or Isoniazid twice weekly for 9 months (administered as Directly Observed Therapy). Children should be administered isoniazid for 9 months. In addition, children younger than 5 years who have close contact with a person with an active case of TB (open case) should be started on isoniazid even if results on skin testing are negative; preventive therapy can be stopped if results on repeat skin testing are negative 2-3 months after last contact with a culture-positive source case.