RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 The epidemiology of pulmonary tuberculosis in children in Mainland China, 2009–2015
JF Archives of Disease in Childhood
JO Arch Dis Child
FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd and Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health
SP 319
OP 325
DO 10.1136/archdischild-2019-317635
VO 105
IS 4
A1 Ruling Yang
A1 Mengyang Liu
A1 Hui Jiang
A1 Yingjie Zhang
A1 Jinfeng Yin
A1 Qihuan Li
A1 Qing Li
A1 Yue Liu
A1 Xiaonan Wang
A1 Hongmei Xu
A1 Yang Yang
A1 Weimin Li
A1 Xiuhua Guo
YR 2020
UL http://adc.bmj.com/content/105/4/319.abstract
AB Objective To describe the incidence and epidemiological characteristics of child pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) notified to the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Tuberculosis Information Management System (TBIMS) from 2009 to 2015.Study design A database of child PTB for 31 provinces in mainland China over 7 years was retrospectively analysed. The spatiotemporal distribution of child PTB was described.Results In total, 35,710 child PTB cases were notified to the TBIMS, representing only 0.60% of all 5,991,593 PTB case notifications. The average annual notified incidence of child PTB was 2.44/ per 100,000 children (95% CI: 1.77–3.10) and decreased by 52.53% in all age groups during the study period. Tibet had the highest incidence (15.95/ per 100,000 children), followed by Guizhou and Xinjiang. However, the case numbers were the most in Guizhou. The 0-1 year and 12–14 years of age groups exhibited the most cases. The positive rates of sputum smears, bacteriology and chest X-rays abnormality were 21.5%, 21.7% and 98.1%, respectively, which were lower than those 15 years of age and older (all p-values<0.0001).Conclusion The notified incidence of child PTB in mainland China decreased substantially over 7 years. Future prevention and control of PTB in children should focus on the 0–1 and 12–14 years of age groups, and Tibet and Guizhou provinces. However, the notified incidence is still low, relative to adults, suggesting substantial under-reporting. Thus, more effective care seeking, identification and registration of children with TB are crucial.