OBJECTIVE: To present a review of the indications of antituberculosis chemoprophylaxis in childhood, based on Brazilian official rules of the National Program for the Control of Tuberculosis of the Ministry of Health and the new tendencies pointed by the Brazilian Consensus on Tuberculosis. METHODS: Articles on the theme were selected from Medline and publications of the Ministry of Health. RESULTS: The chemoprophylaxis is an effective and safe form of prevention of tuberculosis in childhood. It does not conflict with the BCG vaccination program, because it aims at avoiding that tuberculosis infection develops into disease. CONCLUSIONS: International proposals an recent national tendencies recommend the expansion of chemoprophylaxis indications in childhood. Thus measures that expand its use in our country are needed.
OBJECTIVE: To present a review of the indications of antituberculosis chemoprophylaxis in childhood, based on Brazilian official rules of the National Program for the Control of Tuberculosis of the Ministry of Health and the new tendencies pointed by the Brazilian Consensus on Tuberculosis. METHODS: Articles on the theme were selected from Medline and publications of the Ministry of Health. RESULTS: The chemoprophylaxis is an effective and safe form of prevention of tuberculosis in childhood. It does not conflict with the BCG vaccination program, because it aims at avoiding that tuberculosis infection develops into disease. CONCLUSIONS: International proposals an recent national tendencies recommend the expansion of chemoprophylaxis indications in childhood. Thus measures that expand its use in our country are needed.