Epidemiology, clinical manifestations, and diagnostic challenges of pediatric tuberculosis

Childhood Tuberculosis accounts for nearly 10% of all cases. Its proportion varies from 5% in high income countries to 39% in low-and-middle income countries. Precise estimates are unavailable due to lack standard case-definition, limited resources for confirmation of diagnosis and inconsistent surveillance data. Pediatric Tuberculosis is considered as a sentinel event indicating recent transmission. Thus proportion of pediatric tuberculosis is high in countries where adult epidemic is poorly controlled and can be used as an indicator to measure tuberculosis control. Epidemiologically, children seldom contribute to disease transmission, as they tend to develop pauci-bacillary disease and less tussive than the adults. After primary infection, time until disease manifests and symptoms vary according to age. Generally the symptoms are non-specific and up…