Tuberculosis in infants less than 3 months of age.
A review was conducted on infants less than 3 months of age diagnosed with tuberculosis between 1978 and 2014. Eight patients were diagnosed (1.4% of paediatric tuberculosis cases): 3 confirmed congenital tuberculosis, 3 suspected (endometrial biopsy was not performed), and 2 postnatal tuberculosis. Tuberculin skin test was negative in two patients. Diagnostic performance of culture (7/7, 100%) and PCR (3/3, 100%) of gastric aspirates was higher than that of acid-fast bacilli smears (5/8, 62%) and IGRA test (1/3, 33%). Three patients developed miliary disease, and one died. In conclusion, tuberculosis in this age group is rare, severe, and difficult to diagnose. In cases lacking known postnatal contacts, maternal genital tuberculosis should be ruled out by endometrial biopsy.
Servicio de Pediatría Hospitalaria, Enfermedades Infecciosas y Tropicales Pediátricas, Hospital Universitario La Paz, Madrid, España. Electronic address: teredelrosal@yahoo.es.
Teresa
T
Del Rosal Rabes
Servicio de Pediatría Hospitalaria, Enfermedades Infecciosas y Tropicales Pediátricas, Hospital Universitario La Paz, Madrid, España.
Fernando
F
Baquero-Artigao
Servicio de Pediatría Hospitalaria, Enfermedades Infecciosas y Tropicales Pediátricas, Hospital Universitario La Paz, Madrid, España.
Ana María
AM
Méndez-Echevarría
Servicio de Pediatría Hospitalaria, Enfermedades Infecciosas y Tropicales Pediátricas, Hospital Universitario La Paz, Madrid, España.
María José
MJ
Mellado Peña
D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology
Congenital; Congénita; Infant; Lactante; Newborn; Recién nacido; Tuberculosis