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Updated: May 14, 2026

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Published on: August 11, 2008
Isoniazid-resistant tuberculosis in children: a systematic review
Courtney M Yuen1, Arielle W Tolman, Ted Cohen
1Department of Global Health and Social Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
Isoniazid resistance is a significant challenge in treating pediatric tuberculosis. A systematic review found a median of 8% of children with tuberculosis had isoniazid-resistant strains, indicating treatment issues.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Infectious Diseases
- Antimicrobial Resistance
- Public Health
Background:
- Isoniazid resistance complicates tuberculosis treatment and latent infection management in children.
- Understanding the prevalence of isoniazid resistance is crucial for effective pediatric tuberculosis control.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review and summarize the literature on the risk of isoniazid-resistant tuberculosis in children with active tuberculosis disease.
- To assess the scope of isoniazid resistance in pediatric tuberculosis cases globally.
Main Methods:
- A systematic review was conducted using PubMed, Embase, and LILACS databases.
- Searches were performed up to January 12, 2012, identifying studies on children with tuberculosis whose isolates were tested for isoniazid susceptibility.
- 95 studies evaluating 8351 children met the inclusion criteria.
Main Results:
- The median proportion of children with isoniazid-resistant tuberculosis strains was 8%.
- The distribution of resistance was right-skewed, with a 75th percentile of 18%, indicating significant variability.
- This highlights a substantial burden of isoniazid resistance in pediatric populations.
Conclusions:
- High rates of isoniazid resistance in pediatric tuberculosis patients suggest current diagnostics and treatments may be inadequate.
- Many children may receive ineffective empirical isoniazid-based treatment for tuberculosis or latent infection.
- Urgent research is needed to develop effective regimens and understand the full scope of isoniazid-resistant tuberculosis in children.
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