Risk Factors for Pediatric Tuberculosis in the U.S.

Most children with active TB in the U.S. are foreign-born, have a foreign-born parent, or lived outside the U.S. for >2 months.

To examine characteristics of children and adolescents in the U.S. with tuberculosis and the role of international exposure, CDC investigators analyzed surveillance data for 2660 children (age, <18 years) diagnosed with active tuberculosis (TB) between 2008 and 2010.

Overall, 75% of patients were either foreign-born, had lived in a foreign country, or had a foreign-born parent. Foreign-born patients were older than U.S.-born patients (11.0 vs. 5.5 years) and more likely to have pulmonary disease; U.S.-born patients were more likely to have extrapulmonary manifestations. The most common country of birth for foreign-born patients was Mexico, followed by the Philippines, Ethiopia, Haiti, Burma, Somalia, Vietnam, China, and India. Among 607 U.S.…

Reviewing Author

Peggy Sue Weintrub, MD

Risk Factors for Pediatric Tuberculosis in the U.S.

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Reviewing Author