[Progressive and acute forms of tuberculosis in young children]

Factors involved in the development of acute tuberculosis in the form of miliary tuberculosis in 6 infants and meningeal tuberculosis in 24 infants as well as factors involved in progression of primary tuberculous infection in 8 infants without affection of the meninx but with fatal outcomes were studied. The most severe processes were shown to be more frequent in 1- and 2-year-olds being in family contacts with persons isolating tubercle bacilli (81.6 per cent), not vaccinated or defectively vaccinated with the BCG vaccine (78.9 per cent), not subjected to chemoprophylaxis (93.5 per cent) and chemotherapy (96.2 per cent) because of late tuberculosis diagnosis before hospitalization. It is recommended to improve tuberculosis control in the foci where infants are registered, to improve vaccinal prophylaxis and chemoprophylaxis to markedly increase the level of the knowledge of the general pediatrician with respect to early diagnosis of tuberculosis, to increase sanitary education of the population, including knowledge of the nature of tuberculosis.