Extra-pulmonary tuberculosis in children

Methods-The clinical and epidemiological features of 102 children with extr apulmonary tuberculosis, diagnosed between 1982 and 1998 at P & A Kyriakou Children's Hospital were reviewed. Results-During the past decade, a 50% increase of admissions for extrapulmo nary tuberculosis was observed. The source of infection was disclosed in 48 patients. Diagnoses included superficial lymphadenitis (n = 48), pleural e ffusion (n = 27), meningitis (n = 16), skeletal tuberculosis (n = 5), milia ry tuberculosis (n = 3), abdominal tuberculosis (n = 2), and pericarditis ( n = 1). Miliary tuberculosis developed in infants, lymphadenitis and mening itis in preschool children, and pleural effusion and skeletal tuberculosis in older children. None of the patients with extra-pulmonary tuberculosis d ied; however, six patients with meningitis developed permanent neurological deficits. In these patients, antituberculous treatment was introduced at a median of six days following admission as compared with one day in patient s with no complications. Poverty, immigration, and limited access to medica l services were common among patients with meningitis.