Miliary tuberculosis in two infants after nursery exposure: epidemiologic, clinical, and laboratory findings.

Abstract

Two infants born 4 days apart, and cared for in the same nursery, developed miliary tuberculosis at 2.5 and 5.5 months of age, respectively. A search for a source case among household contacts failed to reveal anyone with active tuberculosis. An epidemiologic study of nursery personnel revealed a nurse's aide with cavitary tuberculosis. Examination of 1,647 infants (98.9 per cent of all infants cared for in the nursery during the 10.5-month period preceding the discovery of the source case) failed to reveal any other infected children. Recommendations are made for tuberculosis control programs among nursery personnel that should be carefully and persistently followed.