PULMONARY TUBERCULOSIS IN CHILDREN - IMPLICATIONS FOR DIAGNOSIS

This study describes the epidemiologic surveillance necessary to detec t pediatric pulmonary tuberculosis in the two populations most often a ffected by the disease, American-born children of minority race or eth nicity and foreign-born children. We reviewed the records of 34 cases of pediatric pulmonary tuberculosis in racial or ethnic minorities. Mo st children were asymptomatic and smear- and culture-negative. Contact tracing is essential, and, in the absence of bacteriologic confirmati on, a positive tuberculin skin test and an abnormal chest roentgenogra m are still the only clues to a clinical diagnosis.