Clinical manifestations and epidemiology of childhood tuberculosis in Stockholm 1976-95.
81 cases of tuberculosis infection (17) and disease (64), seen between 1977 and 1995 at St Göran's Children's hospital, Stockholm, Sweden are reviewed. The incidence of tuberculosis disease increased from 1 to 6/10(5) children/y. The increase was due to immigration from high-prevalence countries, with an incidence of 20/10(5) in a partly segregated suburb. Most of the children were foreign-born. Of the 31 0-4-y-old cases, 19 were born in Sweden, and 7 had received BCG vaccination. For Swedish-born children with Swedish-born parents, the incidence of tuberculosis disease remained stable at < 0.5. 50 patients were symptomatic when first seen (60% pulmonary tuberculosis, 8% military tuberculosis, 25%, cervical adenitis, 15% other extrapulmonary tuberculosis). There was 1 death, and in 2 children complicated tuberculosis courses. Side effects of drug therapy were seen in 5% of the children. In conclusion, tuberculosis remains an important differential diagnosis in children of immigrants from high-prevalence countries for at least 5 y after settlement in Sweden. The practice of delaying BCG vaccination of them until 6 months of age can be disputed.
Eriksson
M
M
Unit of Paediatrics, St Göran's Children's Hospital, Department of Woman and Child Health, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden.
Bennet
R
R
Danielsson
N
N
D000293:Adolescent; D001500:BCG Vaccine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000187:drug effects; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy
D001500:BCG Vaccine