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. 2014 Sep 1;6(1):e2014058.
doi: 10.4084/MJHID.2014.058. eCollection 2014.

Differences between pediatric extra-pulmonary and pulmonary tuberculosis: a warning sign for the future

Ilker Devrim  1 , Hüseyin Aktürk  1 , Nuri Bayram  1 , Hurşit Apa  1 , Sener Tulumoğlu  2 , Fatma Devrim  3 , Tülin Erdem  2 , Gamze Gulfidan  2 , Yüce Ayhan  2 , Ipek Tamsel  4 , Demet Can  5 , Hüdaver Alper  4
Affiliations

Differences between pediatric extra-pulmonary and pulmonary tuberculosis: a warning sign for the future

Ilker Devrim et al. Mediterr J Hematol Infect Dis. .

Abstract

Background: Tuberculosis (TB) remains a major global health problem. The childhood tuberculosis has some unique features different which makes the diagnosis more complicated. Here we described the epidemiologic, clinical and microbiologic features of children with extra pulmonary and pulmonary TB.

Methods: The data of the patients <14 years with active TB were collected and compared in pulmonary (PTB) and extrapulmonary TB (EXPTB) patients.

Results: A total of 128 cases was included. Forty-two cases occurred in children were < 5 years of age; 41 cases between 6-10 years and 45 cases > 10 years. PTB was present in 75,0% of the cases, and EXPTB was present in 25% of cases. There was no significant difference between the EXPTB and PTB by means of distribution of age groups (p=0,201). The rate of patients free of constitutional symptoms were significantly higher in EXPTB compared to PTB(p=0,000). There was no significant difference between EXPTB and PTB by means of sources detection(p=0,069).

Conclusion: TB is still a major public health problem. EXPTB has an insidious and silent onset without any constitutional symptoms, and both microbiological confirmation and the source by an adult are not frequently found. Moreover, detection of the adult source is mandatory for controlling the TB disease in children.

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