title: A comparison of clinical features of mycobacterial infections in young and elderly patients.
abstract: A comparison was made of the presentation of tuberculosis (TB) between a young immigrant population from Ethiopia (mean age 21.2 +/- 16 yr) and an elderly Israeli group (mean age 71.4 +/- 10 yr). Prominent differences were the complaint of weakness among the elderly who also had more anorexia and weight loss. The time between the onset of complaints and the diagnosis was 2 months in the elderly and 3.5 wk in the younger group (p < 0.05). Four of the elderly died, 2 from causes related to TB; none of the younger patients died. The insidious and non-specific symptoms in the elderly tend to cause a delay in the diagnosis unless there is a high index of suspicion.
authors.affiliation: Department of Geriatrics, Shaare Zedek Medical Centre, Jerusalem, Israel.
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: van Dijk
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Rosin
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005002:Ethiopia / Q000208:ethnology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007557:Israel; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000453:epidemiology*