Preschool child in Jena falls ill with pulmonary tuberculosis

The health department of the city administration of Jena is currently investigating and advising a preschool child suffering from pulmonary tuberculosis. The affected child and his family are being cared for and treated at the pediatric clinic of Jena University Hospital. The child was diagnosed with the disease at an early stage through laboratory tests. The risk of infection outside the family environment is currently considered to be low.

The information, advice and other measures provided by the City of Jena's Health Department were initially aimed at the family environment of the sick child. The City of Jena's Health Department is currently identifying the children with whom the sick child was in close contact in the daycare center group. The parents of these affected children will be informed in writing.

This is followed by individual consultations and examinations of the children at the health department. Children under the age of five are examined at the Clinic for Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine at Jena University Hospital. The nursery school teachers are also involved in the examinations.

Measures taken by the health department

The measures to be arranged (e.g. blood tests, X-ray of the lungs) by the Health Service and the Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine at Jena University Hospital serve to promptly identify children and adults suspected of being infected and to provide them with further advice and care. If necessary in individual cases, these people who test positive will receive drug therapy.

An infection with tuberculosis can be detected approx. 8 weeks after infection. However, this does not mean that every infection is followed by an illness. Only about 5-10% of adolescents and adults fall ill after infection. In young children and people with pronounced immune deficiencies, the figure is 20-40%. Tuberculosis can be cured by treatment with a combination of drugs.

The aim of all measures taken by the Health Department of the City of Jena is to prevent the spread of tuberculosis in the population.

The Infection Protection Act and the specialist recommendations and guidelines of the professional associations for lung diseases and tuberculosis are applied.