OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — Children's Nebraska is partnering with the Douglas County Health Department to hold a clinic this weekend, in response to the confirmed active tuberculosis case at the Westview YMCA. The clinic will be for children four and under who were potentially exposed in the last ten weeks.
The health department said over 200 children under the age of four have been potentially exposed. The children who have been exposed can come to the clinic and will be evaluated, tested and have a chest x-ray done for the initial tuberculosis test.
"There's two different types of test we can do for TB," said Dr. Kari Neemann, medical advisor for the Douglas County Health Department and pediatric infectious disease specialist at Children's Nebraska. "For those less than two years of age, we will do the PPD or the skin test that we do on the arm. The second test is a blood test and we do that for everyone over the age of two."
Some may receive preventative treatment. The health department said this is determined on a case-by-case basis.
"If there's no evidence of active tuberculosis disease in that infant at the point. We will put them on medication. Our preferred medication is one called rifampin. We will have them continue that medicine for 10 weeks after their last known exposure to the source," she said.
After that, another TB test will be done to draw a final conclusion if they've been affected.
Another clinic will be hosted at the Westview YMCA for people five and up. There will not be chest X-rays done at that location. There will be skin and blood tests.
The clinics are only open to the people who have been contacted by the Douglas County Health Department.
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