title: How to manage TB in children? Problems and solutions in four cases.
abstract: Children bear a substantial part of the tuberculosis (TB) epidemic worldwide, and it is estimated that there were ≅ 500.000 childhood TB cases globally in 2010, although accurate data are problematic to obtain given the many difficulties associated with TB diagnosis in children and the weaknesses of surveillance systems in countries where TB is endemic. The World Health Organization is working hard in order to reduce the TB prevalence rates and deaths by half by 2015. In this challenge, general practitioners and pediatricians play a key role in detecting early cases of suspected TB and sending them to experts in infectious diseases. This will reduce delayed diagnosis and the spread of disease, which is especially important now that the prevalence of multidrug resistant TB is increasing. For this reason, the purpose of this report was to delineate the characteristic clinical features of the most common forms of pediatric TB and to suggest a rational and practical approach to the disease underlining the role of patients and parents personal and clinical history.
authors.affiliation: Catholic University of Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Danilo
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Buonsenso
authors.affiliation: Catholic University of Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Daniele
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Serranti
authors.affiliation: Catholic University of Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Benedetta
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Focarelli
authors.affiliation: Catholic University of Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chiaretti
authors.affiliation: Catholic University of Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Roberta
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Calzedda
authors.affiliation: Catholic University of Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Piero
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Valentini
keywords: Case-report; Children; Management; Therapy; Tuberculosis