The Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal. 24(8):743-744, AUG 2005
DOI: 10.1097/01.inf.0000173305.04212.09
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PMID: 16094237
Issn Print: 0891-3668
Publication Date: 2005/08/01
ADULT-TYPE PULMONARY TUBERCULOSIS IN CHILDREN 10-14 YEARS OF AGE
Ben Marais;Robert Gie;Anneke Hesseling;Nulda Beyers;
+ Author Information
From the Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Tygerberg, South Africa
Abstract
We report 8 children (10–14 years of age) who were diagnosed with tuberculosis at their local primary health care clinic from July to September 2004, after routine sputum testing was extended to all children older than 10 years of age with suspected tuberculosis. This case series emphasizes that older children develop adult-type cavitating disease, which can be diagnosed by sputum smear microscopy, in contrast to younger children for whom smear microscopy has very little diagnostic value.
