title: The Risk of Mycobacterium tuberculosis Transmission from Pediatric Index Cases to School Pupils.
abstract: This study is the largest report on Mycobacterium tuberculosis transmission rate (TR) from children with pulmonary tuberculosis to school pupils. Higher TR (around 21.6%) was observed in contacts of smear-positive children. TR from pediatric smear-negative index cases was around 0. If our data are confirmed, school contacts of a smear-negative index case could be screened only by clinical evaluation and tuberculin skin test, avoiding the routine use of chest radiographs in children less than 5 years of age as well.
authors.affiliation: From the *Department of Health Sciences, University of Florence, Anna Meyer Children's University Hospital, Florence, Italy; †Unit of Hygiene and Public Health, Local Health Unit 10, Florence, Italy; ‡Unit of Hygiene and Public Health, Local Health Unit 11, Empoli, Italy; §Unit of Hygiene and Public Health, Local Health Unit 4, Prato, Italy; and ¶Unit of Hygiene and Public Health, Local Health Unit 3, Pistoia, Italy.
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Piccini
authors.forename: Elisabetta
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Venturini
authors.forename: Leila
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bianchi
authors.forename: Simonetta
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Baretti
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Filidei
authors.forename: Luana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Paliaga
authors.forename: Franca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mazzoli
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Chiappini
authors.forename: Maurizio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: de Martino
authors.forename: Luisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Galli
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D016358:Contact Tracing; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D013902:Radiography, Thoracic; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012574:Schools; D013183:Sputum / Q000382:microbiology; D013334:Students; D014374:Tuberculin Test; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000382:microbiology / Q000635:transmission*