Childhood tuberculosis in general practice

Tuberculosis (TB) in children is a common cause of morbidity. Diagnosis is difficult because of paucibacillary nature of illness and difficulty in obtaining appropriate samples. Children presenting with poor weight gain, fever with or without cough for more than two weeks or contact with an adult in family with pulmonary tuberculosis should be investigated for TB. In all suspected cases of tuberculosis initial investigations include radiograph of chest (CXR) and Mantoux test. If CXR is suggestive of TB, an ambulatory gastric aspirate and induced sputum for acid fast bacilli (AFB) smear may be carried out in two days. Children with AFB positive or abnormal CXR with positive Mantoux test should be started on Antitubercular therapy (ATT). Rest of the patients require more investigations and should be referred to a specialist. All children with newly diagnosed tuberculosis should be treated with 6 mo of ATT (two months with 4 drugs, followed by four months with 2 drugs). Children on ATT should be monitored for improvement in symptoms and weight gain along with side effects of medications. CXR should be done after completion of treatment.