Mantoux is a tuberculin test, according to the results of which you can determine the body's response to tuberculosis pathogens. They put it on that group of people, including children, which is prone to the onset of this disease, as well as for preventive purposes. Sometimes it happens that after a Mantoux vaccination the temperature rises. This symptom should alert, because in this way the reaction of the body to the attack of the pathogen or other interventions is manifested. Therefore, if the temperature rises after Mantoux, it is necessary to look for the reasons for this.
What is a Mantoux test?
Many parents are mistaken when they think that such vaccination is carried out to increase the child 's immunity to tuberculosis. This is not entirely true. The Mantoux test is put in the following cases:
- to assess the reaction of the child's body to the introduced pathogen of tuberculosis and its ability to resist infection;
- to find out the probability of infection with Koch bacilli, that is, to confirm the presence of an infection in the child;
- to test the effectiveness of treatment for tuberculosis.
With this vaccination, tuberculin, which is an extract of Koch bacilli, is injected under the skin of a child. At the injection site, a small seal appears, which appears due to the reaction of lymphocytes, which determine cellular immunity. Particles of microbacteria are able to attract lymphocytes containing Koch's bacillus .
The more the body will contain such "infected" cells, the more active the course of the inflammatory process, and the Mantoux reaction will give a positive result. The doctor measures the diameter of the area with a seal, assessing the possibility of the child’s immunity to withstand tuberculosis infection.
Mantoux reaction
In a healthy person, after vaccination, a negative reaction of the body to the introduced pathogen should be noted without an increase in body temperature. Such an injection is not considered a vaccination at all, but is a kind of diagnostic procedure that allows you to determine how the body responds to the introduced component. Usually, a slight reddening of the skin appears at the puncture site, a swelling occurs. At the same time, the child feels completely normal. If he begins to complain about the deterioration of health after vaccination, then, most likely, the body reacted abnormally to the introduction of tuberculin.
Many factors can distort the results. In order to consider the reaction to the Mantoux test reliable, certain conditions must be observed:
- the child must be healthy;
- evaluate the result no earlier than 72 hours after the injection;
- the injection site cannot be wetted with water for 72 hours.
Why can body temperature rise?
A child may experience a negative reaction of the body to the administered drug if there is no redness or it is quite slight. This means that the baby is not infected with tuberculosis. But what if the temperature rises after Mantoux? This happens under the influence of various factors.
Individual tuberculin intolerance may occur, in which the body begins to reject it in every possible way, including the immune system in this process. The papule (the injection site) begins to increase to critical sizes and its suppuration occurs.
If the child is prone to allergies, then their appearance will also be a response of the immune system to the administered drug. Tuberculin is perceived as an allergen and causes a violent reaction of the body. Among the many symptoms, the temperature rises after Mantoux.
Initial infectious diseases may not manifest themselves at first, and the test reduces immunity, which provokes the multiplication of bacteria and viruses that are already in the body. The result is an increase in body temperature.
It can also rise due to infection through a puncture. This happens if the child touched or scratched the injection site with dirty hands.
In any case, the temperature after Mantoux should be insignificant and must pass on its own after 3 hours.
When should I sound the alarm?
You should seriously worry in the following cases:
- if the body temperature has risen above 38 degrees;
- the papule increased very much, reddened, festering and began to hurt;
- an increase in body temperature is accompanied by headache and muscle pain, loss of appetite, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, cramps, fainting, weakness, blurred consciousness, etc .;
- a severe allergic reaction occurred, which is accompanied by swelling and itching in the puncture area, as well as difficulty breathing.
Is it worth doing Mantoux with a cold?
The combination of this test and snot can lead to very serious consequences, as discharge from the nose is a sign of serious illness.
Mantoux made with a cold can worsen the health of the child, since there is a bacterial or viral infection in the body, and all the protective forces are aimed at eliminating these pathogenic microorganisms. The introduced test can weaken the already lowered immunity, as a result of which the process of treating a child is greatly complicated, causing health conditions that are dangerous to health. The introduction of tuberculin is delayed until complete recovery.
In addition to the common cold, a tuberculin test is contraindicated in the following cases:
- cough;
- skin diseases;
- indigestion
- if another vaccination was given the day before;
- neurological problems;
- allergy.
Preventative measures
In order to avoid undesirable reactions after the Mantoux test, it is necessary to observe preventive measures:
- if there is a suspicion that any infectious disease begins to develop, the injection must be postponed until complete recovery;
- if the child is intolerant of tuberculin, it is better to abandon Mantoux and choose another method for the diagnosis of tuberculosis ;
- the baby should not comb or touch the injection site;
- if the child has suffered a disease, it is necessary to wait a week to strengthen the immune system;
- Mantoux test is not recommended during teething;
- the child should have a normal body temperature before the injection.
Conclusion
Could there be a temperature after Mantoux? Of course, various factors contribute to its occurrence. If it is insignificant, then do not worry. But if the temperature after Mantoux rises above 38 degrees, you should sound the alarm, as this may indicate the presence of the causative agent of tuberculosis in the body. In this case, the child will have a long treatment.