Occult tuberculous infection in children.
Three hundred and fifty New Zealand children with occult tuberculous infection are reviewed. Ninety four had received BCG vaccine previously. Three hundred and forty were admitted to hospital and 3 gastric aspirations were obtained from each child and cultured for tubercle bacilli. Mycobacterium tuberculosis was isolated from 1 or more aspirates in 29 (8.5%) of the children. Excluding those who had received BCG the isolation rate was 10.9%. Mycobacterium bovis was not cultured from any child. X-rays of the chest which were initially normal showed calcification after 2 to 5 years in 73 (20.8%) cases. The 350 children were treated with 2 drugs, during the early years isoniazid and PAS and in the past 3 years isoniazid and rifampicin in standard dosage for either 12 or 18 months. The reasons for treating these children are discussed.
D000293:Adolescent; D010131:Aminosalicylic Acid / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005060:Europe / Q000208:ethnology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007538:Isoniazid / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000302:isolation & purification; D009520:New Zealand; D011114:Polynesia / Q000208:ethnology; D012293:Rifampin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*
D010131:Aminosalicylic Acid; D007538:Isoniazid; D012293:Rifampin