Reemergence of Pediatric Tuberculosis and associated aspects: Metropolitan Region of Chile, 2005 to 2018

Abstract

Objective: To describe the socio-epidemiological characteristics of Pediatric Tuberculosis (TB) cases, and aspects associated with its incidence, from 2005 to 2018, in North, Central, and South Metropolitan Health Services of Chile.

Patients and Method: Descriptive study with an ecological time series. We studied the incidence of annual global TB and according to age, sex, location of tuberculosis, bacteriological confirmation, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) co-infection, country of origin, and effectiveness of anti-tuberculosis therapy. In addition, a correlation analysis was made between the incidence rate and the proportion of foreign cases.

Results: Between 2005 and 2018, 160 cases of TB were reported in children under 15, with a median age of 8 years, and 55% male. 56.2% corresponded to Pulmonary TB, of which 65.6% were bacteriologically confirmed. The incidence rate increased from 0.5 cases x 100,000 inhabitants in 2010, to 4.9 cases x 100,000 inhabitants in 2018. This last year concentrated 20.6% of the cases that occurred in 14 years of observation. The proportion of cases in foreign minors is still lower compared with the cases in Chilean children. A 91.3% success rate, 6.5% of cases transferred to other Services, and 2 deaths were also observed.

Conclusion: The results of this study show a serious epidemiological reemergence of TB. We recommend that control and eradication policies consider strategies focused on pediatric patients, aiming at actively screening for new cases and more efficient contact tracing.