title: Trends in childhood tuberculosis in Zambia: a situation analysis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To ascertain childhood tuberculosis (TB) trends, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) co-infection rates and multi-drug resistant TB (MDR-TB) prevalence rates in Zambia.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective review of Zambian annual TB notification data and National TB Programme reports for a 7 year period (2004-2011). TB trends were stratified by age and HIV status.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The total number of children notified during this period with all forms of TB was 40 976. A total of 2670 of 40 976 (6%) were smear-positive cases. Notification rates of all forms of childhood TB show a decline in trends from 135 per 100 000 population in 2004, to 69 per 100 000 population in 2011.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Childhood TB is an important but neglected problem in Zambia highlighted by the fact that no data exists on HIV co-infection and MDR-TB. Strengthening of the National TB Programme and diagnostics services/algorithms are required to accurately define the TB burden, HIV co-infection and MDR-TB rates in children in Zambia.
authors.affiliation: Ministry of Health, Lusaka, Zambia. nkapata@gmail.com
authors.forename: Nathan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kapata
authors.forename: Pascalina
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Chanda-Kapata
authors.forename: Justin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: O'Grady
authors.forename: Matthew
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bates
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mwaba
authors.forename: Saskia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Janssen
authors.forename: Ben
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Marais
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cobelens
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Grobusch
authors.forename: Alimuddin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zumla
mesh_terms: D017088:AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D000995:Antitubercular Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D018563:Disease Notification / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D005544:Forecasting; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D011159:Population Surveillance; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013183:Sputum / Q000382:microbiology; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D018088:Tuberculosis, Multidrug-Resistant; D015024:Zambia / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D000995:Antitubercular Agents