Tuberculosis in Children

epidemiology

• 1.2 mil. (~10%) of 10 mil. new cases/year are under 15 y/o in 2019
• third cause of deaths of children by infectious diseases

special issues in children TB

• children TB means recent transmission
• direct consequence of adult TB
• difficulty of diagonsis
  • non-specific symptoms
  • difficulty to produce sputum
  • more likely to have paucibacillary lesions
    • means often negative sputum smear

risk factors

• close contact with TB case
• HIV co-infection
• severe malnutrition
• low socioeconomic level
• promiscuity
• enclosed space
• low education for parents/care givers

clinical features

latent TB

• 80-90% of children cases
• no symptoms
• Mantaux test
  • IGRA is often unavailable in LMIC