title: Occult tuberculous infection in children.
abstract: 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.
mesh_terms: 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*
chemical_list: D010131:Aminosalicylic Acid; D007538:Isoniazid; D012293:Rifampin