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Review
. 2014 Jun 18:7:153-65.
doi: 10.2147/IDR.S45090. eCollection 2014.

Epidemiology and disease burden of tuberculosis in children: a global perspective

James A Seddon  1 , Delane Shingadia  2
Affiliations
Review

Epidemiology and disease burden of tuberculosis in children: a global perspective

James A Seddon et al. Infect Drug Resist. .

Abstract

Our understanding of the tuberculosis (TB) epidemic in children is incomplete due to challenges in diagnosis and reporting. Children have also been largely excluded from research and advocacy. However, the tide appears to be turning and interest in pediatric TB is increasing. In this article, we explore the epidemiology of childhood TB by first reviewing the natural history of TB in children and the factors that impact on each of the stages from exposure to disease. We then discuss how these factors affect what we see at a country and regional level. Finally, we assess the burden of childhood TB globally.

Keywords: burden; children; epidemiology; global; tuberculosis.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Risk factors for tuberculosis exposure, infection and disease in children. Abbreviations: BCG, Bacillus Calmette–Guérin; HIV, human immunodeficiency virus; TB, tuberculosis.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Age- and gender-related differences of tuberculosis incidence in hypothetical high and low tuberculosis incidence populations. Notes: Reproduced with permission of the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease. Copyright © The Union. Donald PR. Childhood tuberculosis: the hidden epidemic. Int J Tuberc Lung Dis. 2004;8(5):627–629.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Tuberculosis case reports and rates by age group and place of birth, UK, 2012. Notes: Reproduced from Public Health England. Tuberculosis in the UK 2013 Report. Public Health England: London, UK; 2013. Available from: http://www.hpa.org.uk/webc/HPAwebFile/HPAweb_C/1317139689583. © Crown copyright 2013.
Figure 4
Figure 4
The strategy employed by the World Health Organization to arrive at the estimate of childhood tuberculosis cases. Abbreviations: TB, tuberculosis; WHO, World Health Organization.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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