Professional paper

EPIDEMIOLOGICAL AND CLINICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF TUBERCULOSIS IN CHOLDREN UP TO SEVEN YEARS OF AGE TREATED AT SREBRNJAK CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL

Miljenko Raos ; Dječja bolnica Srebrnjak; Referentni centar Ministarstva zdravstva za kliničku alergologiju djece, Zagreb, Hrvatska
Jelica Marković ; Dječja bolnica Srebrnjak; Referentni centar Ministarstva zdravstva za kliničku alergologiju djece, Zagreb, Hrvatska
Slavica Dodig ; Dječja bolnica Srebrnjak; Referentni centar Ministarstva zdravstva za kliničku alergologiju djece, Zagreb, Hrvatska

Abstract

Forty children with tuberculosis (TB), aged up to 7 years were treated in the period from January 2000 to December 2007. There were 30% children from Zagreb and Zagreb County and 70% patients from other counties. 60% of patients were female. Most patients were aged up to 4 years (75%). Positive intra-familiar contact was confirmed in 87.5% of patients. Primary TB was present in 65% of patients, postprimary TB in 35%. All children were BCG vaccinated, and a BCG scar was found in 82.5% of patients. Significantly positive PPD-test was found in 87.5% of patients. Symptoms were evidenced in 62.5% of patients, and auscultative findings in the lungs were present in 37.5% of patients. Tuberculosis was confirmed by radiologic examination in 95%, by bronchoscopic findings in 17.5% of patients, and mycobacterium tuberculosis culture positive test was found in 55% of patients.
The present study has shown that intra-familiar contact with a tuberculosis subject, positive PPD-test, and radiological finding are crucial findings for the diagnosis of tuberculosis in children.

Keywords

TUBERCULOSIS; PULMONARY – epidemiology; diagnosis

Hrčak ID:

29550

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/29550

Publication date:

8.8.2008.

Article data in other languages: croatian

Visits: 2.870 *