Tuberculosis in children: diagnosis of and methods for the evaluation of chemotherapy

• Published in: Problemy tuberkuleza no. 1; p. 9
• Main Authors: Iukhimenko, N V, Mitinskaia, L A, Elufimova, V F, Safonova, S G, Dem'ianenko, N V, Baenskiĭ, A V, Pesnia, N P, Zriachkina, L I
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Russian
• Published: Russia (Federation) 2002
• Subjects: Antitubercular Agents - therapeutic use; Child; Diagnosis, Differential; Humans; Mycobacterium Infections - blood; Mycobacterium Infections - drug therapy; Mycobacterium Infections - microbiology; Treatment Outcome; Tuberculin Test; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary - diagnosis; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary - drug therapy; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary - microbiology
• ISSN: 0032-9533

The authors propose to determine altered forms of Mycobacteria, including sputum and blood granular forms, and the level of tuberculosis antibodies and serum Mycobacterium antigens by enzyme immunoassay as additional criteria for diagnosis of active primary tuberculosis in children. The diagnostic value of these indices is accounted for by the fact that they are found significantly more frequently and their level is significantly higher than the similar indices in healthy, tuberculosis-infected children and tuberculin-negative, prior BCG-vaccinated ones. By taking into account an decrease in the detection rate of sputum and blood granular mycobacteria and a change in the level of tuberculosis antibodies during chemotherapy, which are observed along with positive clinical and X-ray changes of a process, these tests should be recommended for evaluation of the efficiency of primary a bacillary tuberculosis in children.