New Approaches to Diagnosing Pediatric Tuberculosis

Gastric-aspirate specimens cultured using the microscopic-observation drug-susceptibility technique yielded the best results.

Diagnosing pediatric tuberculosis (TB) is difficult because respiratory specimens are hard to obtain and contain few mycobacteria. Investigators recently conducted a prospective case-control study at two hospitals in Lima, Peru, to assess new approaches.

Children aged ≤12 years with suspected pulmonary TB, but no evidence of HIV infection, were matched by age and sex with healthy controls who had no history of TB or recent household contact with TB patients. Case patients underwent chest x-ray and had gastric and nasopharyngeal (NP) aspirates and stool specimens collected daily for 2 days in the hospital before treatment initiation. One NP aspirate and two stool specimens (but no gastric specimens) were obtained from controls. Specimens were…

Reviewing Author

Mary E. Wilson, MD

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory BoardOneHealthTrust (formerly Center for Disease Dynamics, Economics, and Policy); Global Health Institute, University of Wisconsin

RoyaltiesUpToDate

Editorial BoardsJournal of Travel Medicine

Mary E. Wilson, MD

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory BoardOneHealthTrust (formerly Center for Disease Dynamics, Economics, and Policy); Global Health Institute, University of Wisconsin

RoyaltiesUpToDate

Editorial BoardsJournal of Travel Medicine

New Approaches to Diagnosing Pediatric Tuberculosis

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Reviewing Author