Epidemiological and clinical characteristics of tuberculosisin children up to seven years of age treated at Srebrnjak children's hospital

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.

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