Can children spread TB to others?
Children can spread TB to others, though the chance of that happening is much less likely than it is for adults who have TB. There have been several cases in which a child was found to be infectious and spread TB to others. These cases highlight the need to use caution when assuming that children with TB cannot spread the disease. In order to protect the health of the U.S. public, CDC has developed Technical Instructions for TB screening and treatment. The Technical Instructions are requirements for physicians on how to conduct medical exams for immigrants and refugees. The TB Technical Instructions are screening requirements that are designed to reduce the spread of TB disease in adults and children. Thus, the Technical Instructions are applied to all age groups. Because CDC’s primary duty is to protect the health of the U.S. public, CDC revised the TB Technical Instructions in 2007 to ensure that more TB cases are found and reduce the chance that adults and children can spread the di
