Director of the thoracic unit Mark Hurwitz said they were advised yesterday that Isoniazid and Rifampicin were useless.

''Everyone we've tested so far has not been infected. So our plan is for us to repeat the skin test for the children in the next week or two. If the children are negative then we are going to leave them off the treatment,'' Dr Hurwitz said.

But he said the test was only 90 per cent effective.

''It's caused angst for everyone, as TB does because it's emotive, but at the end of the day the fact is that this organism is resistant, but we've got other drugs we can treat them with.''

Kylea Gill's son, Douglas, was born 10 weeks premature. He was exposed to the multi-drug-resistant strain of TB while still in a humidicrib.

For more, pick up a copy of today's Canberra Times