Probably everyone at school has encountered an incomprehensible procedure called the Mantoux test. First, a small injection was given in the arm with instructions that under no circumstances should the area be wet or scratched. Three days later, the same doctor came into the class and asked to roll up the sleeves, and then measured with a ruler how enlarged this red spot was after the injection.
So what is the mysterious procedure - the Mantoux test? The tuberculin test, PPD test, is a diagnostic procedure during which the antigen of the causative agent of tuberculosis, also known as tuberculin, is injected under the skin. The reaction to the injection is expressed as increased redness of the skin at the injection site, if the disease occurs.
Therefore, the Mantoux test is prophylactic procedure which allows. To carry it out, a special extract made from destroyed virus microbacteria is injected under the child’s skin. In Russia, this procedure has been carried out since 1960 to this day.
Doctor's note: the dynamics of the development of the papules with previous ones plays a big role in this type of procedure diagnostic tests, since the reaction to the hood is mostly individual. So positive result analysis is not always a sign that the child is actually infected.
The increased size of the papule may be associated with external factors. This is how, for example, the main myth about Mantoux appeared - the injection site should never be exposed to water
Is it possible to wet Mantu?
Even if the Mantoux test site is wet, it can get wet soft cloth
There is a fairly clearly formulated rule that you cannot wet the place where the Mantoux test was performed. This statement is a misconception that arose due to the original methodology of the procedure. Previously, the tuberculin test was performed on the skin. To do this, the patient’s skin was specially damaged and tuberculin was dripped onto the wound. In this case, indeed, the ingress of liquid had a significant impact on the result, but a lot of time has passed since then, and the rule still passes from mouth to mouth.
If during bathing the injection site gets wet, then you should simply blot it with a soft cloth and you should not make a tragedy out of it. It is also not worth covering the vaccine with a band-aid or other improvised means, as this can lead to irritation and redness. The only thing that can affect the test result, and what you absolutely should not do, is rubbing or scratching the injection.
Other myths about the Mantoux reaction
There are a number of misconceptions about tuberculin test, which are completely untrue:
- During the procedure, neutralized tuberculosis bacteria are injected under the child's skin, which can cause serious illness.
This sample contains only proteins, a waste product of microbes - this is a feature of tuberculin. This injection cannot cause any diseases because it does not contain a pathogen.
- there are children who have it by default allergic reaction for the Mantoux test, for this reason you should prepare for the procedure in advance by taking anti-allergic medications.
This procedure is diagnostic and consists of observing the body's reaction to the antigen. Children who are sick and not sick with tuberculosis react to the test differently. We can say that tuberculin is a substance that causes an allergic reaction only in case of illness. The specificity is that leukocytes will react to the sample only in a situation if the virus is present in the child’s body. Additional preparation for the test procedure is only necessary for those
Does Diaskintest, which today often replaces the Mantoux test, have the same sensitivity? Let's try to figure it out.
Contact of Mantoux papules with water
Mantoux, or tuberculin test, is a laboratory method for detecting the response of the body's immune system to the administered drug Tuberculin. A positive reaction indicates that the body has ever encountered tuberculosis bacteria, and negative reaction- vice versa.
After administration of the drug, a trace remains on the skin - a papule, which should not be exposed to negative impacts: press, rub, etc. Until recently, it was believed that such influences included water.
However, today it has been proven that if adults or children do wet the Mantoux vaccine, then there is absolutely nothing wrong with it, moreover, it will not affect the test result in any way. An important rule is that you should not wet the papule in the first hours after injection, and later, when the wound heals, this will not in any way affect the test result.
- If there are pathogens in the water, an infection can enter the bloodstream, causing the tissue surrounding the sample to become inflamed.
- The use of detergents or washcloths when bathing, as well as intense impact on the test site, can provoke an allergic reaction and swelling.
All this can give a false positive test result. Since Mantoux will increase not due to the presence of the tuberculosis bacillus, but due to exposure external factors.
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So, what to do if Manta gets wet? If this happens, you can do the following:
- blot all moisture with a napkin, but do not rub;
- wait until the water dries.
To avoid false result, it is also not recommended to cover the papule with an adhesive plaster both on the first day and on the second and third days. The skin under the patch will sweat, resulting in itching and irritation.
Such a cautious attitude towards water during a tuberculosis test developed back in the last century, when the Pirquet test was used to diagnose tuberculosis.
It was precisely this that could not be wetted, since the reagent was not injected, but was applied to the skin, having previously scratched it with a special tool. Naturally, water could simply wash away the drug, and the test would be invalid; moreover, there would be wounds on the skin through which bacteria and viruses could penetrate, which could provoke sepsis. The practice of avoiding contact with water was later carried over to the Mantoux test.
However, Mantoux, unlike the Pirquet test, almost completely eliminates the influence of external factors on the final result, including the influence of water. So if you wet Mantu, the water will not be able to wash away the drug, and the result will not be distorted.
If a child inadvertently wets Mantoux, then before a follow-up examination with a doctor, it is necessary to independently examine the papule. If its boundaries are blurred, the diameter is more than 5 mm, and the skin is inflamed, then you need to inform the nurse or doctor about this - there may have been damage to the skin, and after water entered the inflammatory process began.
But, as mentioned earlier, often getting a large amount of moisture onto the graft does not affect the final result.
So, soaking Mantoux in most cases does not affect the result in any way, even if you soak Mantoux on the 1st day, a few hours after the test.
What to do if papules from Diaskintest come into contact with water?
Diaskintest is similar to Mantoux laboratory test, which is worth doing to identify the body’s immune response to the presence or absence of tuberculosis bacilli in the blood. The procedure for carrying it out is the same as for Mantoux: the necessary reagent is injected into the forearm, and the results are assessed after three days.
The only difference between these two tests is that Diaskintest is more sensitive and has fewer side effects.
This is due to the fact that the method of this test involves the use of special proteins that cause a reaction of the body’s immune system to mycobacteria only tuberculosis. Compared to Mantoux, Diaskintest also allows you to detect the activity of these pathogenic microorganisms.
The place where the Diaskintet test was placed may accidentally get wet, and there is nothing to worry about. But it is best to inform your doctor if water has come into contact with the sample. This is necessary for further consideration of this factor when assessing the results. Otherwise, this may distort the results obtained.
During implementation water procedures you need to remember some restrictions that should be taken into account after performing Diaskintest for three days:
- Do not scratch or rub the sample site;
- Do not apply any cosmetic or detergents to this area of skin.
Although it is not recommended to swim after trying Diaskintest, it is important to follow all the above rules. Then the result will be as reliable as possible, and its decoding will be the most accurate.
When wondering what will happen if you wet Mantoux, it is important to understand that excessive exposure of water to the site of Diaskintest and Mantoux can lead to the protective crust on the wound becoming wet, which can lead to tissue infection. As a result inflammatory process A false positive result may occur, which, when deciphered, may be mistaken for the presence of the tuberculosis virus in the body. As a result, it will be necessary to carry out additional examinations and try again.
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What happens if you wet Mantu?
We all know from childhood that the Mantoux vaccine should never be wetted. However, few people know the reasons for this ban. Why are doctors against contact of the vaccination site with water and what happens if you wet Mantoux? Let's find out!
Let's start with what a mantoux graft is.
What is the Mantoux reaction?
The PDD test, tuberculin test or simply Mantoux vaccination is a monitoring of the body's response to the introduction of tuberculin (a drug made from purified products of the tuberculosis bacillus). It shows whether the tuberculosis bacillus is present in the child’s body or not. A positive answer will mean that the child has already been in contact with this infection and it is already contained in his body, and a negative answer will mean that he has never encountered tuberculosis. Thus, the Mantoux test helps to identify this serious illness at the most early stages. It is usually done once a year: this frequency is due to the fact that tuberculosis is very easy to contract, and it is important to regularly monitor the condition of each child’s body.
The Mantoux reaction is carried out as follows. A small dose of the drug (1 g) is injected into the inner part of the child’s forearm, under the skin, with a special tuberculin syringe with a short needle. A so-called papule remains on the arm, or, as they say to a child, a button, which will be an indicator. The nurse will warn you about how long you should not wet Mantu (3 days). 72 hours after vaccination, you should go to the doctor for a check: he will measure the diameter of the papule with a ruler and compare it with normal values.
If there is a negative reaction healthy child the papule will be 0-1 mm in size. Result positive test- papule more than 5 mm and noticeable redness of the area around it. There is also a so-called questionable reaction, when the button is 2 to 4 mm in size, and the area of hyperemia around it is much larger. This may indicate both the presence of an excessive amount of tuberculosis bacilli in the body (above normal), and the individual tendency of the body to such a reaction. The diagnosis of “tuberculosis” is not made on the basis of one or even several samples: for this, an examination by a TB doctor and a fluorographic examination should be carried out. Those children whose Mantoux test shows a questionable reaction year after year are candidates for BCG revaccination.
Is it possible to wet the Mantoux vaccine?
The request of health workers that the Mantoux vaccine not be wetted is not without reason. The fact is that when water gets on the papule, the following can happen:
- firstly, infection, if the water contains any infection;
- secondly, an unpredictable reaction (swelling, hyperemia, hyperergic test), which in any case will be considered doubtful. This can happen if you cover the papule with an adhesive plaster before bathing, and also rub it with a washcloth or treat it with soap.
However, if a child accidentally wets the Mantoux test, all this may not happen, the reaction will be negative, that is, corresponding to the norm, and no one will even know about this misunderstanding. However, if such cases have not yet occurred, it is still not worth the risk of allowing your child to splash around in the bathtub.
So, what should you do if your child, accidentally or intentionally, wets the Mantoux vaccine? Firstly, do not panic and wait for the results. You can estimate the size of the papule yourself: if before going to the clinic you notice that the button is clearly larger than 5 mm and the skin around it is very red, you should tell the doctor that the vaccine was accidentally wetted so that he does not record a false positive test result on the vaccination card. However, in most cases, water that gets on the graft does not affect its result in any way.
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If you wet Mantoux, will this have any effect on the result?
The question of whether it is possible to wet Manta goes back a long way. In that past, the poorly educated nurses, who knew the Pirquet test well, having marked Mantoux, strictly forbade it to be wetted. Immediately, as often happens among children, a rumor spread that if you wet Mantoux, you would get tuberculosis.
A lot of time has passed since then, and there are probably no nurses left who remember Pirk. But the horror story about “getting Manta wet” lives on and continues to scare not only children, but also adults.
What is the Mantoux test?
The Mantoux test consists of assessing the body's reaction to the introduction of tuberculin into the upper layers of the skin (i.e., not subcutaneously, but intradermally). This drug contains killed fragments of tuberculosis bacteria and has been widely used for more than half a century throughout the world.
The intensity of the immune system is understood as the intensity of the response of the immune system when a particular infection enters the body. Immunity is a complex multi-level system built on the principle of learning. In order for it to respond promptly to bacteria and viruses, it must be familiar with them. Such an acquaintance can take place:
Acquired immunity lasts for years. In the first 2-3 years he is most tense, i.e. responds most intensely to stimuli. Then it begins to weaken. Some people may still have residual tension after 10 years.
The principles of the immune system described above underlie the use of Mantoux.
- If the body is not familiar with the tuberculosis bacterium, then after the introduction of tuberculin there will be no reaction.
- If the body knows a tuberculosis infection, then a chain of immune reaction will be launched.
In the second case immune cells, “remembering” tuberculosis, coming into contact with antigens contained in tuberculin, trigger a set of processes, including: the production of interferons and other protein complexes, the activity of which is aimed at isolating the introduced tuberculin.
The external manifestation of such isolation is a small focus of inflammation (papule) at the site of the test.
Why do they make Mantoux?
The Mantoux test shows whether you are familiar the immune system with tuberculosis.
It diagnoses 3 conditions:
In the first case, a positive reaction shows that anti-tuberculosis immunity reacts normally and the person is protected from tuberculosis. Negative – that there is no immunity and vaccination is required. All children are vaccinated in the first week of birth and then revaccinated at 7 years of age. Therefore, the Mantoux test is checked in children, mainly, immune response to tuberculin.
In the second and third cases, a positive reaction indicates the need for treatment.
Why can't you wet Mantu?
The legend that it is impossible to wet Manta, because it can ruin the result, apparently arose a long time ago. Before they started using Mantoux, which is injected into the skin using a special syringe, the Pirquet test was used. It was placed on the skin, by applying incisions to the skin - the same way as any allergy test (tuberculin is an allergen).
Intradermal administration, which was invented by Charles Mantoux, had an advantage over the Pirquet method: it made it possible to reduce the impact of external stimuli on the test results to zero.
Thus, Manta can be wetted. And this is its big advantage.
How many days can you not get wet?
Brief contact of water with the sample location does not affect the test results in any way.
Tuberculin is injected into the skin. The puncture is made with a thin needle. At the puncture site, the blood clots very quickly. From external environment nothing can penetrate to the site of tuberculin injection and influence the further reaction.
But the question of how long Mantoux should not be soaked still has a right to exist. Here are the wet situations to avoid:
- Taking baths;
- swimming in the pool;
- swimming in freshwater bodies of water.
You need to give up all this for 3 days.
When can you wet Mantu?
Since short-term contact of the sample site with water does not have any effect on the further reaction, Manta can be soaked on the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd days.
If possible, you should avoid using the following at the injection site:
- Any irritating detergents;
- alcohol solutions;
- sanitary napkins or cosmetics that you have never used before.
Crema and others cosmetical tools may cause local irritation. Although the probability of this is quite low, it is not worth the risk. If you get irritated, you may start scratching the injection site - and this is something you shouldn’t do.
What to do if you wet Mantu
If you have wet Manta, you can do this in several ways:
- Do nothing, wait 5 minutes - the water will dry itself;
- blot the sample site with a napkin or paper towel.
What it is better not to do: use a towel to dry.
How not to get Manta wet
If you are still afraid, then simply avoid getting water on the injection site.
Do not cover this area with a band-aid or wrap it with polyethylene. Things like this can bring more harm than contact with water. Covered skin will sweat, become hotter and itch more.
Consequences
Thus, if you simply wet Manta with water, did not use irritating detergents, unfamiliar cosmetics, and did not aggressively wipe the sample area, then there will be no consequences.
At the same time, prolonged stay in water should be avoided. Again this is not absolute contraindication. Most likely, there will be no consequences for further interpretation of the sample. But it’s better not to lie in the bathtub or swim in the pool for 2 hours.
Do not rub the injection site with a washcloth or bath brush. This can lead to itching and scratching, which will certainly affect the test result.
Freshwater lakes and rivers are habitats for various microorganisms. Children with Mantoux need to be careful. A scratch at the test site can lead to microinflammation and invalidate the result of tuberculin diagnostics.
Conclusion
Thus, if you wet Manta, there is nothing to worry about. Just blot the area with a napkin or wait until it dries naturally, avoiding heavy mechanical wiping.
Do you have a question or experience regarding this issue? Ask a question or tell us about it in the comments.
The most interesting thing is that even now in our children's clinic, when making Mantoux, they warn that it should not be wetted. Why are they misleading? Or are they playing it safe: if you say that you can get them wet, people will take baths all evening. Well, now I’ll be calm, when my daughter gets Mantoux, I can wash my hands calmly)))
But exactly. Mantoux last time they did it to me a long time ago, back in school, and warned me about the need to take care of my hand, not to get it wet and not to bathe under any circumstances. And the teachers present did not seem to refute this opinion. Again, the parents were in on the subject.
We accidentally wet Manta to a child: what to do? Useful tips
The Mantoux test is considered a diagnostic procedure to determine the presence of immunity to tuberculosis.
The first procedure to establish tuberculosis was called Pirquet, and tuberculin was not injected into the body, but was applied externally. Directly during the examination, a ban on water procedures appeared.
The need for a Mantoux test
With the Pirquet method, it is not allowed to wet the skin area for 24 hours, since otherwise the following consequences may occur:
The health organization claims that this procedure necessary for residents of countries where the likelihood of the disease is high.
Photo 1. Mantoux vaccination - this procedure is necessary in countries where there is high risk diseases.
- identifying infection in the early stages, namely in people with the first symptoms of the disease;
- identifying those infected for more than one year with an excessive reaction to tuberculin;
- examination of people who are infected with Koch's bacillus, but the disease occurs without severe symptoms;
- when selecting children to be re-vaccinated against tuberculosis.
Factors that influence the reaction
The reliability of the result depends on external and internal signs, therefore a false positive result may be detected.
The procedure should be postponed if the child feels unwell. Indications for medical withdrawal:
In addition to the diseases noted, the following conditions can cause a positive reaction:
- skin diseases;
- improper diet;
- allergic reaction to tuberculin (in in this case the compaction that appears increases in volume after 20 minutes);
- patient's age;
- getting the injection site wet;
- treatment with detergents;
- excessive sweating at the site where the papule is located.
What you can and cannot do before the procedure
Quite often, doctors prescribe tests simultaneously with the Mantoux test.
Antihistamines can only be prescribed by a doctor to suppress a possible allergic reaction to the test. Such drugs are taken 3 days before the procedure, including the day of injection, and also before checking the reaction.
The anti-allergy drug should be used to eliminate individual intolerance to the tuberculin composition.
Before the procedure you cannot:
- eat food causing allergies(honey, cocoa, nuts, strawberries, citrus fruits);
- introduce new foods unknown to the body into the child’s diet.
Important! You should visit a doctor in advance and get advice. It is necessary to understand that the test is performed in children's clinics on certain days at the appointed time. Specific dates can be clarified at the hospital reception or with your pediatrician.
It is also recommended to adhere to special dietary nutrition. Eliminate foods to which your child is allergic from his diet. On the day of the Mantoux test, the child’s temperature must be measured before the procedure. If there is a temperature, it is necessary to refuse the test.
At least a day must pass between the Mantoux test and any other vaccines or vaccinations.
Vaccination is given to a child every year from the age of 1 year.
A healthy child should have a compaction diameter after the test of no more than 1 mm, and values from 2 to 4 mm are considered a questionable result.
After the procedure, be sure to ask how long it is necessary to avoid water procedures in order to exclude false positive results, why water should not be allowed to enter, and what to do if the injection site does get wet.
Attention! Tuberculosis is considered an extremely serious disease. However, a false positive result will bring a lot of inconvenience to the child: unnecessary registration at a dispensary, repeated injection, prescription of drugs for the treatment of tuberculosis. It is for these reasons that the vaccine should not be wetted. Parents must understand this and monitor their child very carefully.
What to do if Manta gets wet
Children react in completely different ways. Moisture on skin cannot affect the body's reaction. You should not panic if contact with detergents on the skin causes redness: when measuring a papule, the doctor mainly takes into account only its diameter.
A false positive result can occur if the child has swam in an open body of water, if the skin around the injection site has been disinfected with iodine or another product, rubbed with a washcloth, or covered with a band-aid. Doctors usually inform parents that all these actions are undesirable and can lead to a distortion of the reaction.
Why can’t you get your tuberculosis vaccine wet and wash after it?
Mantoux is a laboratory method for demonstrating the immune response to tuberculin. A positive reaction indicates that the body has been in contact with disease microorganisms, while a negative response indicates the opposite.
Reference! After the substance has been introduced, a trace remains in the form of a compaction, which should be protected from external influences, including swimming. It is important to know that you cannot wet the papule in only the first couple of hours after the procedure, then you can.
However, despite this, doctors still do not recommend touching or getting the drug injection site wet for 3 days. This is due to the following factors:
- there are pathogenic bacteria in the water that can cause infections;
- The use of detergents can lead to allergies and swelling.
The most important thing is parental control and assistance during hygiene procedures. It is worth explaining to the child that it is extremely undesirable to wet, scratch or touch the injection site.
The purpose of the Mantoux test is not to protect against tuberculosis, but to diagnose infection. Tuberculosis is a serious disease that is difficult to treat. That is why timely diagnosis so important for effective therapy.
Photo 2. Bathing a child in the bath is possible in advance, before vaccination is given to diagnose tuberculosis.
Experts advise bathing the child the day before the test, and not washing the baby for 2-3 days after the procedure. When bathing children after the procedure, you should follow these useful tips:
- the water temperature should be equal to the child’s body temperature (36º-37ºC);
- do not rub the injection site;
- no need to steam the injection area.
If after swimming the injection site is swollen, be sure to tell your doctor. Do not give your child medicine because this reaction will go away on its own.
Useful video
The video presents the reasons why the Mantoux vaccine should not be wetted and what consequences may occur if it comes into contact with water.
I bathed my daughter anyway... I just tried not to get the vaccination site wet. Defended vaccination plastic bag and did not allow me to wallow in the bathroom.
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Rules for tuberculin diagnostics: what happens if you wet Mantoux
In 1908, the French doctor Charles Mantoux proposed the use of a skin reaction test, which was named after him and which many mistakenly attribute to vaccinations.
In fact, this is a subcutaneous test designed to detect such a terrible disease as tuberculosis in the early stages. At the same time, a precautionary measure after tuberculin diagnosis includes a ban on intentionally or accidentally getting Mantoux wet.
Strict nurses in vaccination rooms separately emphasize to parents that after the test, the injection site should be left alone for three days.
After this time, the result is evaluated, and conclusions are drawn about the presence or absence of problems in the body.
If Mantoux is wetted, the injection site may turn red and show an incorrect result. However, a short-term ingress of water should not cause significant harm.
How is diagnostics carried out?
The test is done in order to evaluate the reaction to tuberculin injected into the upper layers of the skin. The drug contains purified fragments of the tuberculosis bacillus, and depending on the size of the papule (seal at the injection site), a positive or negative reaction of the body is recorded.
The test begins to be carried out on the child as soon as he turns one, and in the future this is done annually until he is 15 years old. This measure makes it possible to timely identify the presence of contacts with tuberculosis pathogens, as well as the beginning development of the disease. There is no point in performing the Mantoux test if the baby is not yet one year old. A test that violates this rule often shows a false negative result.
Vaccination against tuberculosis is carried out to a child in the absence of contraindications during the first 3-7 days after birth. If for some reason the vaccine is not given, tuberculin testing is carried out from the age of six months.
Rules for caring for the injection site
The tuberculin test, or the well-known “button” test, is placed on the inside of the arm, between the wrist and elbow. The tuberculin drug is administered intradermally, resulting in a slight swelling at the injection site. On the first day, redness may be observed at the injection site, but this should not frighten parents.
The effect is assessed on the third day, and only the size of the papule matters:
- a negative result is indicated by a papule size of 0-1 mm;
- a positive reaction is diagnosed if the papule reaches a size of 5 mm or more, and the skin around it becomes very red;
- the intermediate result is that the size of the papule is 2-4 mm, this may indicate an individual response to the drug or the presence of a disease.
On the 1st day, when the child has undergone tuberculin diagnostics, and before checking it with a doctor, it would not be a bad idea to refuse potentially allergenic products– chocolate, citrus fruits, nuts. The appearance of an allergic reaction will not allow the doctor to reliably assess the result of the test.
If the child is suffering skin diseases or he has bronchial asthma, the “button” test can, on the recommendation of a doctor, be replaced by other methods of tuberculin diagnostics.
Every mother, after her child has been diagnosed, is always interested in what to do if she accidentally wets Mantoux. The injection site does not require special care, but water ingress should be treated with caution.
If you wet the button, the result may be false positive, which will require additional diagnostic procedures. Therefore, you should especially carefully monitor children and avoid soaking your hands for a long time.
What to do if water gets in
First of all, you should not be alarmed if your hand gets wet after the procedure. Accidental contact with a few drops of water will not cause harm. It is much worse to rub the injection site, smear it with brilliant green or iodine, wipe it with hydrogen peroxide or stick an adhesive plaster on it.
Some parents believe that if they “help” the healing of the papule in this way, the result will be better. However, these actions can only lead to additional irritation and redness of the hand.
Parents who are interested in what will happen if you wet Mantoux a little should remember the following. The ban on contact of a “button” with water goes back to the past, when the main research method was the Pirquet reaction.
It involved making a scratch on the skin, where a diagnostic drug was injected. In this case, it was indeed forbidden to wet the hand, since water getting into the wound could cause infection and inflammation, which did not contribute to the accuracy of the diagnosis.
With the advent of another type of research, getting wet with Mantoux will no longer be so dangerous.
The main thing is to avoid prolonged contact of the sample with water. Immediately pat your child's hand dry with a clean towel or napkin, without waiting until the injection site becomes very wet.
Will there be consequences?
The tuberculin test can easily withstand short-term contact with liquid, especially on the second or third day after it is performed. Parents should supervise small children. It will be easier to do this during the day than at night - in a dream, the baby may unknowingly begin to scratch the injection site, but this should not be allowed.
So you can put him in a long sleeve shirt for a couple of nights until it's time to test his reaction.
It is quite possible to tell a grown-up child what will happen if he wets Mantoux while washing his hands. It should be explained that the injection site should not be touched, even if it is slightly itchy. After the injection, you are even allowed to swim, although cautious parents still prefer to avoid any contact with water.
A quick shower will not do any harm, but it is better to refrain from rubbing the reaction site with a washcloth or staying in water for a long time.
In any case, the fact that the injection site has been exposed to water should be reported to the doctor during a routine check-up. This will allow the specialist to correctly assess the result and avoid errors in its interpretation. At the same time, remember that the ingress of water is not always the cause of a positive reaction.
The question of whether it is possible to wet Manta goes back a long way. In that past, poorly educated nurses who knew the Pirquet test well, having administered Mantoux, strictly forbade it to be wetted. Immediately, as often happens among children, a rumor spread that if you wet Mantoux, you would get tuberculosis.
A lot of time has passed since then, and there are probably no nurses left who remember Pirk. But the horror story about “getting Manta wet” lives on and continues to scare not only children, but also adults.
In contact with
What is the Mantoux test?
It consists of assessing the body’s reaction to the introduction of tuberculin into the upper layers of the skin (i.e., not subcutaneously, but intradermally). This preparation contains euthanized fragments and has been widely used for more than half a century throughout the world.
In the most general sense, the Mantoux test allows you to determine the strength of a person’s immunity to the tuberculosis pathogen.
The intensity of the immune system is understood as the intensity of the response of the immune system when a particular infection enters the body. Immunity is a complex multi-level system built on the principle of learning. In order for it to respond promptly to bacteria and viruses, it must be familiar with them. Such an acquaintance can take place:
- When suffering from an illness;
- after vaccination.
Acquired immunity lasts for years. In the first 2-3 years he is most tense, i.e. responds most intensely to stimuli. Then it begins to weaken. Some people may still have residual tension after 10 years.
The principles of the immune system described above underlie the use of Mantoux.
- If the body is not familiar with the tuberculosis bacterium, then after the introduction of tuberculin there will be no reaction.
- If the body knows a tuberculosis infection, then a chain of immune reaction will be launched.
In the second case, immune cells that “remember”, coming into contact with the antigens contained in tuberculin, trigger a set of processes, including: the production of interferons and other protein complexes, the activity of which is aimed at isolating the introduced tuberculin.
The more cells in the body that remember the tuberculosis pathogen, the more intense the process of tuberculin isolation in the skin will occur, the larger the size of the resulting papule.
The external manifestation of such isolation is a small focus of inflammation (papule) at the site of the test.
Why do they make Mantoux?
The Mantoux test shows whether the immune system is familiar with tuberculosis.
It diagnoses 3 conditions:
- Grafting;
- latent tuberculosis;
- tuberculosis in the active phase.
In the first case, a positive reaction shows that anti-tuberculosis immunity reacts normally and the person is protected from tuberculosis. Negative – that there is no immunity and vaccination is required. in the first week of birth and then revaccination is carried out at 7 years. Therefore, in children, the Mantoux test mainly checks the immune response to tuberculin.
In the second and third cases, a positive reaction indicates the need for treatment.
Why can't you wet Mantu?
The legend that it is impossible to wet Manta, because it can ruin the result, apparently arose a long time ago. Before they started using Mantoux, which is injected into the skin using a special syringe, the Pirquet test was used. It was placed on the skin, by applying incisions to the skin - the same way as any allergy test (tuberculin is an allergen). 
Pirquet’s sample could not be wetted: it left wounds on the skin into which infection or any irritants could get in along with the water. Thus, inflammation could be provoked not by an immune response to tuberculin, but by third-party factors. Naturally, the accuracy of the method suffered from this.
Intradermal administration, which was invented by Charles Mantoux, had an advantage over the Pirquet method: it made it possible to reduce the impact of external stimuli on the test results to zero.
Thus, Manta can be wetted. And this is its big advantage.
How many days can you not get wet?
Brief contact of water with the sample location does not affect the test results in any way.
Tuberculin is injected into the skin. The puncture is made with a thin needle. At the puncture site, the blood clots very quickly. Nothing from the external environment can penetrate to the site of tuberculin injection and influence the further reaction.
Nobody forbids you to wet Manta if you do it for a short time, for example, when washing your hands.
But the question of how long Mantoux should not be soaked still has a right to exist. Here are the wet situations to avoid:
- Taking baths;
- swimming in the pool;
- swimming in freshwater bodies of water.
You need to give up all this for 3 days.
When can you wet Mantu?
Since short-term contact of the sample site with water does not have any effect on the further reaction, Manta can be soaked on the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd days.
If possible, you should avoid using the following at the injection site:
- Any irritating detergents;
- alcohol solutions;
- sanitary napkins or cosmetics that you have never used before.
Creams and other cosmetics may cause local irritation. Although the probability of this is quite low, it is not worth the risk. If you get irritated, you may start scratching the injection site - and this is something you shouldn’t do.
What to do if you wet Mantu
If you have wet Manta, you can do this in several ways:
- Do nothing, wait 5 minutes - the water will dry itself;
- blot the sample site with a napkin or paper towel.
What it is better not to do: use a towel to dry.
What not to do: wipe the injection site with a towel, rubbing it forcefully over your arm. With this you can cause itching at the injection site and start scratching it.
How not to get Manta wet
If you are still afraid, then simply avoid getting water on the injection site.
Do not cover this area with a band-aid or wrap it with polyethylene. Such things can cause more harm than contact with water. Covered skin will sweat, become hotter and itch more.
Consequences
Thus, if you simply wet Manta with water, did not use irritating detergents, unfamiliar cosmetics, and did not aggressively wipe the sample area, then there will be no consequences.
At the same time, prolonged stay in water should be avoided. Again, this is not an absolute contraindication. Most likely, there will be no consequences for further interpretation of the sample. But it’s better not to lie in the bathtub or swim in the pool for 2 hours.
Do not rub the injection site with a washcloth or bath brush. This can lead to itching and scratching, which will certainly affect the test result.
Freshwater lakes and rivers are habitats for various microorganisms. Children with Mantoux need to be careful. A scratch at the test site can lead to microinflammation and invalidate the result of tuberculin diagnostics.
From the video you can learn about the rules of conduct after trying mantu.
Conclusion
Thus, if you wet Manta, there is nothing to worry about. Just blot the area with a napkin or wait until it dries naturally, avoiding heavy mechanical wiping.
Every year, children starting from 12 months are given a Mantoux test. This diagnostic test allows you to determine whether a child has tuberculosis. U medical personnel there is not enough time to explain the rules for caring for the injection site. Therefore, parents often wonder whether it is possible to wet Mantu. It is worth taking a closer look at this issue.
What is the Mantoux reaction?
The Mantoux test is one of the most common methods early diagnosis tuberculosis. The examination involves insertion into the middle part of the forearm with inside tuberculin intradermally. The injection is made with a disposable syringe with a thin needle with an oblique cut. After the injection of the diagnostic drug, a small seal similar to a button appears at the injection site.
Important! The Mantoux test is performed on children every year from 12 months to 14 years of age.
The test results are assessed after 3 days using a ruler. The size of the papule is entered in medical card child. It is considered normal if the diameter of the button does not exceed 4 mm. The papule at the injection site is abnormal large sizes(5-16 mm) occurs if the patient has had contact with Mycobacterium Bovis, which causes tuberculosis. In such cases, children are referred for consultation to a TB specialist for in-depth diagnostics.
Is it possible to wet the injection site?
Some doctors argue that you should not wet Mantoux, because this will lead to false positive result. However, such a ban is unfounded. The Mantoux test involves intradermal injection of tuberculin, so contact of water with the drug is possible only if the liquid gets inside the skin. This will require an injection. Only in this case an allergic reaction is possible.
But why do doctors universally prohibit getting the injection site wet? This is due to the history of tuberculosis diagnostic methods. In the early seventies, the body's reaction to Mycobacterium Bovis was monitored using skin tests: the Pirquet or Koch test. These methods consisted of placing a solution of a diagnostic drug on the skin, where fine incisions were subsequently made. The results of such a test could indeed change if a person had contact with water, which can wash the allergen from scratches.
Important! If a child accidentally wets his hand where the Mantoux test was performed, then you should not panic. Simply wipe the wet area with a napkin or let the water dry.
What happens if you wet the sample?
So, is it possible to wet Mantu? Brief contact of the tuberculin injection site with water is not capable of distorting the examination results. Therefore, the child can be bathed any day after the test is performed. However, it is better to limit contact between the injection site and water, which is likely to provoke an allergic reaction.
Why can't you wet Mantu? In rare cases, after water procedures, the papule can sharply increase in size. You must immediately notify your doctor about this. In this case, the tuberculin test will be uninformative, and the examination will have to be repeated.
How long can you not soak Mantu? Doctors say that you should not come into contact with the liquid immediately after injecting the drug. After all, water can penetrate the skin through an unhealed puncture. Therefore, it is recommended to exclude any contact with moisture for an hour after the visit. treatment room. This time is enough for the injection site to become clogged with clotted blood.
What absolutely cannot be done?
The following factors can change the results of the Mantoux test:
- Overheating of the child and prolonged stay in a stuffy room with high humidity. Therefore, it is recommended to avoid visiting the sauna, swimming pool, or bathhouse for 3 days. After all, heat and moisture contribute to the expansion of skin pores, so water can penetrate into the dermis;
- Mechanical damage to the skin. It is important to constantly monitor the child after a tuberculin injection to prevent attempts to scratch, rub or squeeze out the “button”. This may lead to water penetration and the development of a false positive reaction;
- Applying bandages, sealing the injection site with adhesive tape. This leads to the accumulation of sweat and sebum at the injection site, distorting the results;
- Woolen items or clothes made from rough fabrics can lead to irritation;
- Preventive vaccinations. Vaccination can distort the immunological status, so it is recommended to do a test before immunization or after 30 days;
- Iodine, alcohol, hydrogen peroxide and other antiseptics, creams, soaps, shower gels can provoke an allergic reaction;
- During the tuberculin test, it is recommended to avoid foods that can trigger allergies: fish, citrus fruits, chocolate, spices, sweets;
- Swimming in public waters, which can provoke a secondary infection.
Who should not do Mantoux?
The tuberculin test, like any diagnostic measures, has certain contraindications. Doctors recommend refusing the examination in the following cases:
- Presence of skin problems of bacterial or allergic origin;
- The period of intensification of chronic pathologies;
- Acute infectious diseases;
- Availability bronchial asthma in the anamnesis;
- Active course of rheumatism;
- The presence of convulsive readiness or epileptic seizures in the anamnesis.
Some of the listed restrictions are relative, so the test is carried out after the patient’s well-being improves.
The tuberculin test is not able to protect a person from becoming infected with tuberculosis. It refers to diagnostic measures, which determine the presence of tuberculosis infection. Is it possible to wet Mantu? Moisture getting into the injection site cannot distort the diagnostic results. However, for your own peace of mind, it is recommended to avoid any contact with water for 3 days after the tuberculin injection.
An almost Hamlet-like question: “What is Mantoux and is it possible to wet it?” - any parent asks himself at least once in his life.
We answer right away - you can wet Mantu! Wash the children - need to, because a dirty child is not our goal.
So what is it - Mantoux test?
The Mantoux test is an intradermal allergen test. That is, the drug - tuberculin - is injected between the layers of the skin. The skin, as you understand, has a rather dense structure, and any medical worker A person who performs intradermal injections will tell you that you can only inject anything intradermally with significant physical effort.
Tuberculin - these are “fragments” of mycobacteria - bacilli that cause tuberculosis. There is nothing living there, and you can’t get sick from it either. However, we must not forget that this is an allergen that provokes allergies.
Why do the Mantoux test every year (and for children who have not been vaccinated with BCG - the tuberculosis vaccine - twice a year)? Then, to find out whether the child had contact with a patient with tuberculosis or not, and if so, take all measures to prevent the child from getting sick. The Mantoux test is also done in order to select children at the age of 7 for re-vaccination with BCG (it can only be done for those who have a negative Mantoux test). Well, in tuberculosis children's hospitals the sample is used for...
Why is it possible to wet Mantu and even wash it with soap, although even some authors regulatory documents think otherwise? Because the test, as we have already said, is intradermal. And in order for water to get inside the skin where the test was made and an allergic reaction occurs, it must be injected in the same way with a syringe under pressure. And no one in their right mind does this to their children.
You can argue that almost all pediatricians and nurses say that you should not wet Mantoux, depriving the child for three days. Everything is very simple: until approximately the late sixties - early seventies (when most modern pediatricians and nurses went to kindergarten or even not yet born) instead of the Mantoux test (intradermal), the Pirquet cutaneous test was used. It is still done here and there in tuberculosis dispensaries - when a tuberculin solution is dripped onto a child’s hand and cuts (scratches) are made through this solution. It is this sample that really categorically cannot be wetted, especially in the first 24 hours, while the reaction begins - otherwise the allergen will be washed out of the scratches and the result can be completely unpredictable. Medical thought is a rather conservative thing: it is difficult to abandon a stereotype that has been established for more than five decades.
Even the authors of the instructions for the modern synthetic allergen Diaskintest, which is free from specific reactions, and is used for accurate diagnosis of true tuberculosis infection, for some reason they wrote in the instructions for the drug that the test should not be wetted. In fact, the technology is the same as the Mantoux test, intradermal, and there is no point in this ban.
Approximately from the same considerations, the rule “you cannot bathe a child after vaccination” appeared: of course, in a poorly equipped apartment in winter it is generally difficult to bathe a child; he can easily catch a cold. But if you live in an ordinary heated apartment, then this ban makes no sense.
