RESUMEN
Tuberculosis is the most common infectious cause of death worldwide. Young children especially infants usually are more susceptible to tuberculous infection. Disease usually develops within 1 year of infection. The present study has been conducted upon 41 children in whom Mantoux test was positive (n=41). These children were coming to our outpatient department, in a Teaching Hospital, Nizamabad, Telangana State with mild fever, cough, night sweats, anorexia, and loss of weight. The age group selected for this study was 1 to 12 year, and the period of study was from August, 2013 to December, 2015. Among the 41 children under study 13 children were 1 to 4 year and 28 were 5 to 12 year. Among the total 41 cases of Mantoux positive, 16 (39%) were found to be suffering from tuberculous disease and anti tuberculous drugs were started. In these cases 7 were 1 to 4 year (n=13), and 9 were 5 to 12 year (n=28). After 3 months follow up, all the children who were on ATT became free from their symptoms. It shows association between mantoux positivity and tuberculosis is more in children between 1 and 4 year than children between the age of 5 and 12 year. Most of the other children needed antipyretics, other symptomatic drugs and antibiotics only. But in 3 cases symptoms were not relieved either with antibiotics or with trial ATT. The factors for deciding tuberculosis are history of contact, clinical picture, CBP, ESR, chest- x- ray, Mantoux test, sputum for AFB, antibiotic trial, follow up, trial ATT. All these factors are put together and then only we will decide whether to start ATT or not.