Characteristics of Tuberculosis among Children and Adolescents at a Referral TB's Hospital, 2006 - 2011

Tuberculosis (TB) is a globally significant cause of morbidity and mortality in children. Few data on tuberculosis in children and adolescents are available in Iran.
The current study aimed to describe the case characteristics and clinical-epidemiological aspects of children and adolescents with TB.
A retrospective review was undertaken on 203 patients aged less than 19 years admitted to a referral TB hospital from 2006 to 2011.
Out of the 203 children and adolescents diagnosed with TB, 57.6% of cases were female. Median age was 15 years and 51% were 10 -18 years old; 83% had pure pulmonary TB. The common type of extrapulmonary TB (EPTB) was pleuritis (64%) and 80% of the EPTB cases were observed in adolescents aged 15 - 18 years. Female adolescents aged 15-18 years were more likely to have positive smear (88%), cultural growth (63.6%) and drug resistant TB infection (71%).
In this referral hospital setting, more pediatric patients with TB were found among adolescent cases especially females. Early detection of adolescents at risk to developing infection is the essential constituent of TB control.