inPractice® - Diagnosis of Pediatric Tuberculosis

Diagnosis of TB in children is based on history of exposure, epidemiologic risk factors, clinical presentation, chest radiograph, results of tuberculin skin testing or QuantiFERON TB Gold In-Tube interferon-γ release assay (for children older than 2 years of age), and results of Xpert MTB/RIF tests or mycobacterial cultures from respiratory secretions, gastric aspirates, stool, cerebrospinal fluid, and/or blood^{[Cruz 2007; Starke 2004; Chisti 2014; WHO Xpert; WHO Surveillance 2015]}
Chest radiographs in children with pulmonary TB commonly show intrathoracic lymphadenopathy with or without parenchymal disease^{[Starke 1989; Leung 1992]}