title: Recommendations for the diagnosis of pediatric tuberculosis.
abstract: Tuberculosis (TB) is still the world's second most frequent cause of death due to infectious diseases after HIV infection, and this has aroused greater interest in identifying and managing exposed subjects, whether they are simply infected or have developed one of the clinical variants of the disease. Unfortunately, not even the latest laboratory techniques are always successful in identifying affected children because they are more likely to have negative cultures and tuberculin skin test results, equivocal chest X-ray findings, and atypical clinical manifestations than adults. Furthermore, they are at greater risk of progressing from infection to active disease, particularly if they are very young. Consequently, pediatricians have to use different diagnostic strategies that specifically address the needs of children. This document describes the recommendations of a group of scientific societies concerning the signs and symptoms suggesting pediatric TB, and the diagnostic approach towards children with suspected disease.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Chiappini
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lo Vecchio
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Garazzino
authors.forename: G L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Marseglia
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bernardi
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Castagnola
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Tomà
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cirillo
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Russo
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gabiano
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ciofi
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Losurdo
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bocchino
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tortoli
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tadolini
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Villani
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Guarino
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Esposito
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D003955:Diagnostic Tests, Routine / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D010372:Pediatrics / Q000379:methods; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000175:diagnosis*