Tuberculosis prevalence among underfive children in household contact with negative acid fast bacilli adult pulmonary tuberculosis

Abstract

Background Risk of tuberculosis (TB) transmission is greatest if a child has household contact with positive acid fast bacilli (AFB) adult pulmonary TB. Risk of TB transmission from negative AFB adult pulmonary TB to underfive children is unknown. Objective To find out the prevalence of TB infection and disease among underfive children in household contacts with negative AFB adult pulmonary TB. Methods The study was performed at Balai Kesehatan Paru Masyarakat (BKPM) Bandung on underfive children who live in the same house with negative AFB adult pulmonary TB from February to July 2006. History taking, physical examination, anthropometric measurement, chest radiographs, and tuberculin skin test were performed to all study subjects. Subjects were then categorized as TB infection(positive tuberculin test only) or disease (defined based on Pulmonology Workgroup of Indonesian Paediatrics Council criteria, 2005). Results Sixty one children (32 males and 29 females) had contact with 54 negative AFB adults pulmonary TB. Tuberculosis infection was found in six (10%), while disease was found in 10 (16%) children. The prevalence of TB infection was 10% (95% CI 2.3;17.3) while prevalence of TB disease was 16% (95% CI 7.1;24.7). Conclusion Tuberculosis infection and disease prevalence is considerably high in household contact with negative EFB adult pulmonary TB.

Keywords

• Tuberculosis
• underfive children
• contact
• negative acid fast bacilli