Retrospective evaluation of 35 pediatric tuberculosis cases proven by histopathological and/or microbiological analysis [Mikrobiyolojik ve/veya histopatolojik olarak kanıtlanmış 35 pediyatrik tüberküloz olgusunun retrospektif olarak değerlendirilmesi]

Objective: the progress and clinical findings of childhood tuberculosis are distinctly different from those of adult tuberculosis. children have fewer positive mycobacterial cultures and less specific findings and symptoms than adults. thus,diagnosis of tuberculosis is difficult and it is rarely evidenced. materials and methods: the study involved retrospective evaluation of 35 confirmed tuberculosis cases between may 2009 and february 2013 by the infectious diseases clinic of şişli hamidiye etfal training and research hospital. results: of the 35 patients included in this study,13 had pulmonary tuberculosis,15 had extrapulmonary tuberculosis,and 7 had both pulmonary and extrapulmonary tuberculosis. primary tuberculosis (34.3%) was the most commonly diagnosed form of pulmonary tuberculosis; tuberculosis lymphadenitis (25.7%) was the most frequently diagnosed form of extrapulmonary tuberculosis. acid-resistant bacteria were observed in 40% of cases,mostly in the gastric lavage aspirate (31.4%). the culture was positive in 62.9% of cases,mostly in the gastric lavage aspirate (31.4%). conclusion: diagnosis of tuberculosis in childhood is quite difficult and it is rarely confirmed because children have less specific signs and symptoms of the disease and fewer positive mycobacterial cultures than adults. the gold standards for diagnosing tuberculosis in childhood still include a history of close contact with a tuberculosis patient,tuberculin skin test reactivity,and clinical and radiological findings associated with tuberculosis. © 2015 by pediatric infectious diseases society.