A 3-year-old child is a household contact of an adult with sputum-positive pulmonary tuberculosis. The child is asymptomatic, chest findings are normal and Mantoux test is negative. As per NTEP policy, the appropriate intervention is:

• A Full 6-month HRZE treatment regimen
• B Isoniazid preventive therapy for 6 months at 10 mg/kg/day ✓
• C Repeat Mantoux after 3 months before any action
• D No intervention, review only if symptoms appear

Explanation

All child contacts under 5 years of a sputum-positive pulmonary TB case receive isoniazid preventive therapy at 10 mg/kg once daily for 6 months, regardless of tuberculin status, after active TB has been excluded. Full HRZE is reserved for confirmed disease. Waiting for symptoms risks progression to severe childhood TB such as miliary or meningeal disease during this window of highest vulnerability.

Reference: Park's Textbook of Preventive and Social Medicine, 27th ed.

High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP

Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.