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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Told I was exposed to someone with tuberculosis

59 replies

pinkpalmtrees · 23/07/2021 16:12

I got a call from the hospital this morning to say that when I stayed in to have my baby last year, I was exposed to someone with tuberculosis.

I’ve been asked to go in for a screening next week.

I asked for more information and they were too busy to give it to me. I’ve had a look at what it is (had never heard of it before) and now I’m really worried.

Has this happened to anyone else before? I’m more worried that my baby has caught it.

OP posts:
nothingcanhurtmewithmyeyesshut · 23/07/2021 17:29

You'd know if you had a BCG jab. It would have blistered and left a scar. I'm only 30 and I had it in school.

TakeYourFinalPosition · 23/07/2021 17:36

That can't be the case as I had mine in school and I'm 32. I think I was in year 9/10 as well.

Me too, I’m 30 and had mine in year 10.

PeonyTime · 23/07/2021 17:53

I had a similar call a lot of years ago.
I had a skin test to see if I had a reaction (to check for vaccination status or active infection, I'm not sure) and a chest xray. Discharged when all clear. I'd shared a room with the girl on holiday for a week.

Gregwiggle · 23/07/2021 17:57

I wasn't vaccinated and I am 43. Neither were my older siblings born in the 70s.

KarmaStar · 23/07/2021 18:01

What is your aibu?what is the vote for?

Etulosba · 23/07/2021 18:01

If you had had the vaccine, you would remember it!

Popcornriver · 23/07/2021 18:01

Won't it be in your medical records if you have/haven't been vaccinated? Could you call your GP and ask?

VanGuff · 23/07/2021 18:02

I'm 26 and don't know anyone my age who had bcg at school. Think it was stopped a couple of years above us, so its unlikely OP has been vaccinated

But its not very infectious, you will most likely be fine and it is just a precautionary measure. The fact that it has been over a year and you have no symptoms suggests you are okay

texasss · 23/07/2021 18:03

If the exposure was 15 months ago what's the issue?

HalfShrunkMoreToGo · 23/07/2021 18:06

Do you remember having a stamp like thing on your inner arm just below your elbow, a ring of 5 little dots . Then a week later someone checking to see if the dots had gone inflamed or disappeared and the result of that meaning you did or didn't have an injection?

If you remember that then you went through the vaccination programme.

Original poster
pinkpalmtrees · 23/07/2021 18:08

No I haven’t been vaccinated. The AIBU is to ask if I am being unreasonable to be worried.

OP posts:
MissConductUS · 23/07/2021 18:14

@pinkpalmtrees

No I haven’t been vaccinated. The AIBU is to ask if I am being unreasonable to be worried.
If you were potentially exposed a year ago and have been asymptomatic it is reasonable to be concerned and want a test, but "worried" would be a bit too strong.
Russell19 · 23/07/2021 18:55

I'm 29 and had the TB vaccine at school. We were tha last year.

poorfanjo · 23/07/2021 18:58

I'm 30 and I've had the tb vaccine, no mark though :/

Rhi86 · 23/07/2021 19:11

My dad currently has active TB and has passed it on to my mum. And my kids and I have developed latent TB and are being treated for it.. so I feel like something of expert right now! (Obviously not in medical terms!!)

Firstly, it's probably irrelevant if you had the BCG. I understand this only protects against TB in the brain / meningitis TB which is most common in children. I would guess you were more likely exposed to lung TB, which the BCG does nothing against.

They will probably give you a Mantoux skin test and possibly an x-Ray. It's super likely that you'll be negative as you have to be in close proximity to someone for a while to be infected - so fingers crossed!

If Mantoux is positive, you might have a blood test to check that you have TB in your blood. If you do, but your x-ray is clear, they might say you have latent TB. This is not infectious and it's symptomless. You just have a 5 - 10% chance of developing active TB in your lifetime if you don't get treated. I'm getting treated - it's 3 months of antibiotics and then all done! (Similar for my kids but 6 months).

If you have active TB, it's about 9 months of 3 different meds I think. I think you'd have developed a cough or something by now if you had active TB. My dad had a terrible cough and was coughing up blood, night sweats, really tired etc.

Wishing you best of luck! I'm sure you will be fine!!

Rhi86 · 23/07/2021 19:15

Just to add - if your baby has been gaining weight and thriving over the past few months, it's really unlikely they will have active TB. That's what they have told me about my 5 month old (who was also exposed on the day he was born!). He has been taking antibiotics since he was about 6 weeks old and it's been fine! Had to work out a few tricks to get him to take them but it's no problem now. Once the course is finished, they don't have to do any further tests for us.

purplesequins · 23/07/2021 19:16

I had the same about 20 years ago.

problem was, as I had the bcg vaccine the prick test reacted and I had to undergo more investigations, which were fortunately all clear.

apparently the bcg vaccine only protects against some forms of tuberculosis but not against the most common one which is the pulmonary version.

your gp should be able to confirm if you had the bcg. or you might have a pock like scar on your upper arm.

Twickerhun · 23/07/2021 19:19

I did my gap year in a tb hospital. I don’t honestly think you need to worry too much. Go for the check but don’t worry. X

Pixxie7 · 23/07/2021 19:27

The TB vaccination leaves a small but definite scar on your left arm, so you will be able to tell from that if you had a vaccine or not.

Needadviceagain · 23/07/2021 19:27

I had tb about 10 years ago. They couldn't trace where I caught it as it can lie dormant for years without you knowing (latent tb). I was vaccinated and was in my early 20s when I caught it. Clearly the vaccine didn't work terribly well for me! At the time my cough was horrendous and I had it for about 6 weeks before they actually discovered what was wrong. I worked in a small office, the size of your average terraced house living room, with 4 other people and none of them caught it though one did discover they already carried latent tb. Treatment is 6 months of a rather yuck antibiotic regime. You can also be treated for latent tb so that it doesn't turn into full blown symptomatic tb

Rubyupbeat · 23/07/2021 19:31

I was vaccinated against it as a baby. Not sure why.
Its curable, not like years ago.

scully29 · 23/07/2021 19:32

Yes dont worry, they are just being cautious and its good they can check it out so easily. Re exposure, my husband worked in a TB ward in South Africa for nearly a year, they have just about no PPE there at all, and he's fine, so dont panic about having been exposed just wait until your appointment.

ShopTattsyrup · 23/07/2021 19:33

Plenty of reassuring messages for you OP above which I hope have put your mind at rest a little.

But for what it's worth - a colleague of mine had TB, he had had it for about a year before diagnosed and in that time had shared a bed with his wife every night and she managed not to catch it Smile it is obviously contagious but it's not as contagious as many other respiratory diseases so try not to worry too much.

Also - highly treatable these days, so even at the outside chance you have caught it it should be OK

DaveMinion · 23/07/2021 19:36

@Pixxie7

The TB vaccination leaves a small but definite scar on your left arm, so you will be able to tell from that if you had a vaccine or not.
Or right arm if you are left handed lol. DH has his on right and mine is left.
DaveMinion · 23/07/2021 19:37

My auntie has hers on her shoulder as she was vaccinated as a baby due to my grandad having had tb.

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