Childhood tuberculosis in high burden settings

An estimated one million cases of tuberculosis (TB) occur globally each year in children younger than 15 years, approximately a quarter of whom will die from TB [1]. The majority of the childhood TB cases and deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC), where difficulties and delays, principally in TB case detection, contribute to poor outcomes in children [2]. Childhood TB is paucibacillary and obtaining good quality sputum specimen is a challenge, particularly in the very young. In addition, the clinical presentation of TB in children mimics other common childhood diseases such as HIV, pneumonia, viral and bacterial blood infection and malnutrition.