Treatment in hospital

Information for the public

Visiting a child in hospital

Treatment in hospital

You shouldn't need to stay in hospital for tests or treatment unless you are seriously ill, or there are other clear reasons (for example, if you are homeless) that could make caring for you outside hospital difficult.

If you are in hospital and have TB bacteria in your sputum (known as 'smear‑positive'), you should be cared for in a single room until you leave hospital or you are no longer infectious. Most people stop being infectious after they have been on treatment for 2 weeks but, for people with drug‑resistant TB, it may be longer. You should wear a mask whenever you leave your room to help stop TB spreading to other patients.

Visiting a child in hospital

If you visit a child with suspected active TB in hospital, you should be checked for symptoms of infectious TB, just in case the child caught TB from you. You will need to keep away from other patients until you have been cleared of having active TB.