Proportionate Morbididity of Various Clinical Forms of Tuberculosis in Children Under 5 Years of Age at Lahore

Abstract

Tuberculosis results in 1.3 million cases and 450,000 deaths among the children each year. A correctional study was conducted on 100 Tuberculosis children under 5 years of age from August 97 to November 1997 presenting at Mayo Hospital and Jinnah Hospital Lahore to see the proportionate morbidity of various clinical forms of tuberculosis. A New Guinea Paediatrics Tuberculosis chart was used to diagnose the cases. The children scoring seven or more on the chart were included as cases. The mean age of the cases was 35.28 (SD 14.93) months. Pulmonary Tuberculosis was 68.0%, Tuberculosis Meningitis 20.0%, exclusive Tuberculous Lymphadenitis 6.0%, Abdominal Tuberculosis 3.0 % Miliary Tuberculosis 2.0% and Tuberculosis Arthritis 1.0%. Malnutrition, over crowding, illiteracy and poverty was very common among the Tuberculous children.