A nurse is discussing the prevention of tuberculosis (TB) Which individual-level strategy involves administering the BCG vaccine to infants or children at high risk of TB exposure or infection?

Choice A rationale:

Abdominal pain is not commonly associated with tuberculosis (TB) TB primarily affects the lungs, and symptoms such as cough, fever, weight loss, and night sweats are more typical of TB.

Choice B rationale:

Headache is not a common symptom of TB. While TB can cause systemic symptoms like fever and fatigue, it does not typically cause headaches unless there are complications involving the central nervous system, which is relatively rare.

Choice C rationale:

Hematuria, which is the presence of blood in the urine, is not a symptom commonly associated with TB. TB primarily affects the respiratory system and is not known to cause urinary symptoms.

Choice D rationale:

Cough is a hallmark symptom of tuberculosis. It is usually a productive cough that lasts for several weeks or longer, with the possibility of producing sputum that may be bloody or purulent. Cough is a key indicator for healthcare providers to suspect TB and order appropriate testing.

Choice A rationale:

A skin test result with an induration of 10 mm is considered positive in certain populations, indicating an active TB infection. These populations include people with known close contact with TB-infected individuals, HIV-positive individuals, recent immigrants from high-prevalence countries, and those with chest X-ray findings consistent with previous TB. The positive result means that the person has been exposed to the TB bacteria and has developed a delayed hypersensitivity reaction to the purified protein derivative (PPD) injected during the skin test.

Choice B rationale:

A negative reaction, indicating no TB infection, would typically be a skin induration of less than 5 mm. In this case, with an induration of 10 mm, a negative reaction can be ruled out.

Choice C rationale:

An induration of 10 mm is not considered an inconclusive result. Inconclusive results are usually associated with very small indurations or circumstances where there is uncertainty about the interpretation of the test.

Choice D rationale:

A borderline reaction is not typically associated with TB testing. Borderline reactions are less specific and are not commonly used to interpret the results of TB skin tests.