Tuberculosis in adolescents: A French retrospective study of 52 cases.
BACKGROUND
The only available data about tuberculosis (TB) among adolescents date back to the 1980s, although the incidence of tuberculosis has been increasing in this age group.


METHODS
Medical records were reviewed for all adolescents aged 12 to 18 years hospitalized with the diagnosis of TB in Avicenne/Jean Verdier Teaching hospital (Seine-Saint-Denis, suburb of Paris) between September 2000 and December 2004.


RESULTS
Of the 52 patients identified, 52% were female. Median age at diagnosis was 15 years (range, 12-18 years). The proportion of adolescents known to be born abroad was 90%. Diagnoses resulted from the examination of a sick child in 79% of cases, a case contact investigation of an adult suspected of having TB in 19% and routine tuberculin skin test in 2%. Twenty-seven of 52 patients (52%) had isolated pulmonary disease. Sixteen patients (31%) had pulmonary and extrapulmonary TB and 8 cases (17%) had exclusively extrapulmonary disease. The site of extrapulmonary TB included pleural (n = 8), meningitis (n = 4), lymph node (n = 4), peritoneal (n = 5), osteoarticular (n = 3) and genitourinary (n = 1). TB was confirmed by the isolation of Mycobacterium tuberculosis from sputum (n = 21), gastric aspirate (n = 8), bone (n = 1) or cerebrospinal fluid (n = 2). No case had a relapse or recurrence of disease in median 3.2 years of follow up.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results indicate that demographic and clinical characteristics of adolescents with TB differed from adults and children. A specific approach to the prevention and treatment of TB in adolescents is absolutely necessary.
de Pontual
Loïc
L
Department of Pediatrics, Jean Verdier Teaching Hospital, Bondy, France. de-pontual@necker.fr
Balu
Laurent
L
Ovetchkine
Philippe
P
Maury-Tisseron
Barbara
B
Lachassinne
Eric
E
Cruaud
Philippe
P
Jeantils
Vincent
V
Valeyre
Dominique
D
Fain
Olivier
O
Gaudelus
Joël
J
D000293:Adolescent; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000382:microbiology; D002555:Cerebrospinal Fluid / Q000382:microbiology; D016358:Contact Tracing; D005260:Female; D005602:France; D005750:Gastric Juice / Q000382:microbiology; D005751:Gastric Lavage; D006784:Hospitals, Teaching; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013183:Sputum / Q000382:microbiology; D014374:Tuberculin Test; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology