Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 29, 2026
Analysis of 18FDG PET/CT Imaging as a Tool for Studying Mycobacterium tuberculosis Infection and Treatment in Non-human Primates
Published on: September 5, 2017
The epidemiology of tuberculosis in children in Australia, 2003-2012
Stephen S Teo1, Ee Laine Tay2, Paul Douglas3
1Western Sydney University, Sydney, NSW s.teo@westernsydney.edu.au.
Insights
Paediatric tuberculosis (TB) in Australia remains low, with no significant changes observed between 2003 and 2012. Children born overseas experienced higher TB rates, highlighting the importance of immigration screening for TB elimination efforts.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Epidemiology
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Paediatric tuberculosis (TB) represents a significant global health challenge.
- Understanding national trends in childhood TB is crucial for targeted public health interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the burden and temporal trends of paediatric TB in Australia from 2003 to 2012.
- To identify key demographic and epidemiological characteristics of childhood TB cases.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of paediatric TB data (under 15 years) from the National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System (NNDSS).
- Data covered the 10-year period from 2003 to 2012, including case notifications, place of birth, age, and detection methods.
Main Results:
- 538 child TB cases were reported, constituting 4.6% of all TB cases.
- Overseas-born children had significantly higher TB notification rates (9.57 per 100,000) compared to Australian-born children (0.61 per 100,000).
- Pulmonary TB was most common (64.7%), with close contact and recent travel to high-incidence countries as primary risk factors.
Conclusions:
- The burden of paediatric TB in Australia is low and stable.
- Higher rates in overseas-born children underscore the critical role of immigration screening in TB control.
- These findings support Australia's goal of TB elimination.
Objective:
To describe the burden of and trends in paediatric tuberculosis (TB) in Australia between 2003 and 2012.
Design:
A retrospective analysis of TB data from the National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System (NNDSS) on TB in children (under 15 years of age) during the 10-year period, 2003-2012.
Results:
TB notifications in Australia during the study period included 538 children (range, 37-66 cases per year), representing 4.6% of the total TB case load during the period (range, 3.8%-5.8% each year). Place of birth was recorded for 524 patients (97.4%); of these, 230 (43.9%) were born in Australia, 294 (56.1%) overseas. The average annual notification rate was 1.31 (95% CI, 1.20-1.43) cases per 100 000 child population. The rate was higher for overseas-born than for Australian-born children (9.57 [95% CI, 8.51-10.73] v 0.61 [95% CI, 0.53-0.69] cases per 100 000 children. The overall rate was highest among those aged 0-4 years. The annual notification rate was three times higher for Indigenous children than for non-Indigenous Australian-born children. Of 427 patients (79.4% of total) for whom the method of case detection was recorded, 37.0% were detected by contact screening, 8.7% by post-arrival immigration screening, and 54.3% by passive case detection. Pulmonary TB was the most common diagnostic classification (64.7% of patients). The most common risk factors were close contact with a TB case and recent residence in a country with a high incidence of TB. Treatment outcomes were satisfactory; 89.4% of children had completed treatment or were cured.
Conclusions:
The burden of paediatric TB in Australia is low but has not changed over the past decade. The highest rates are among children born overseas, emphasising the important role of immigration screening as Australia aspires to eliminate TB.
Related Concept Videos
01:29Pulmonary Tuberculosis I
Causative Organism
The primary infectious agent causing tuberculosis is Mycobacterium tuberculosis, a slow-growing, acid-fast, aerobic rod that exhibits sensitivity to heat and ultraviolet light. Instances of Mycobacterium bovis and Mycobacterium avium contributing to the development of TB infection are rare.
Mode of...
01:26Pulmonary Tuberculosis IV
Several diagnostic approaches are used to detect TB. The conventional method is the Tuberculin Skin Test (TST), also known as the Mantoux test. However, this method has...
01:31Pulmonary Tuberculosis III
The first classification is based on the development of the disease, and it includes the following categories:
01:28Pulmonary Tuberculosis V
Latent tuberculosis infection occurs when TB bacteria are present in a person's body, but are not causing illness or symptoms. It is not contagious, and preventive treatment is crucial to avoid the...
01:28Pulmonary Tuberculosis II
Here is a detailed explanation of its pathophysiology:
Transmission: The process begins when a person inhales droplet nuclei containing M. tuberculosis. These are typically released into the air when an individual with pulmonary or...
01:17Other Pulmonary Disorders