Abstract
Background: The incidence of childhood DSTB as well as DRTB is on rise. Extra-pulmonary TB equally contributes to pulmonary TB with highest mortality of neurological TB in children. Despite the very high disease burden, there are very few studies on tuberculosis among Pediatric population. In this case series we wish to discuss the difficulties in diagnosis of Pediatric TB along with clinical presentation, microbiological, radiological reports, treatment given and outcome.
Clinical Description: Total 24 Pediatric patients (Age range 5months to 12 years) with diagnosis of tuberculosis (from March 2024 to December 2024) were included in this case series. Patients were categorised as per age, sex, nutritional status, pulmonary/extra-pulmonary TB and DSTB/DRTB (as per The National Tuberculosis Elimination Programme guidelines ). Pulmonary Tuberculosis was most common form followed by neurological TB. Malnutrition was contributory factor in 58.3% cases.
Management & Outcome: Treatment was given as per NTEP guidelines. The outcome was noted as discharge, death and lost to follow up.
Microbiological confirmation was reported to be more than 30%.The mortality was 12.5% (Age was 5 months, 5 years, and 10 years, 2 females, one male). The mortality was highest in CNS TB. The rate of MDR TB was 8.3 %.
Conclusion: Despite increasing incidence of childhood TB, microbiological yield of tubercular bacilli is very poor in children which poses difficulty and delays in the diagnosis. Therefore to develop a robust, highly sensitive, non-invasive and cheaper diagnostic tool is the urgent need of the hour to achieve the strategic goal set up by WHO for reduction of overall TB worldwide.
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