ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To describe the clinical and radiological features, diagnosis, and treatment of an epidemic outbreak of tuberculosis in a daycare centre in Zaragoza. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The index case was a teaching assistant with a late diagnosis of bacilliferous tuberculosis. Mantoux testing was carried out in all children. In those with a positive Mantoux test, a chest X-ray was performed. Children with an abnormal chest X-ray underwent microbiological investigations. RESULTS: Among all the children in the daycare center, the Mantoux test was positive in 11 children. Chest X-ray was abnormal in 10 children. Of these, seven (70 %) were symptomatic. Chest X-ray showed dense opacification in nine children (90 %) and mediastinal lymph adenopathy in five (50 %). Three children (30 %) had lobar atelectasis requiring bronchoscopy and subsequent steroid therapy. Bacilloscopy was positive in only one child. Gastric juice culture was positive in seven children and the amplified Mycobacterium tuberculosis direct test was positive in a further seven. All microbiological investigations were negative in only one child. CONCLUSIONS: Establishing a definitive diagnosis of tuberculosis in children remains difficult and frequently relies on a constellation of clinical findings, radiology and epidemiology in children with a positive Mantoux test. The amplified Mycobacterium tuberculosis direct test has high sensitivity and provides fast results. Epidemic outbreaks continue to be frequent in Spain. Study of contacts shows high efficiency in controlling outbreaks.
Subject(s)
Disease Outbreaks , Tuberculosis, Pulmonary/epidemiology , Child Day Care Centers , Child, Preschool , Humans , Infant , Spain/epidemiology , Tuberculosis, Pulmonary/diagnosis , Tuberculosis, Pulmonary/drug therapyABSTRACT
Objetivo Describir la clínica, radiología, diagnóstico y tratamiento en los niños afectados por un brote de tuberculosis en una guardería de Zaragoza. Material y métodos El caso índice fue una cuidadora que fue diagnosticada tardíamente de tuberculosis activa. Se realizó Mantoux a todos los niños, a los positivos se hizo radiografía de tórax. En aquéllos con radiografía patológica se procedió al diagnóstico microbiológico. Resultados De todos los niños de la guardería, 11 presentaron un Mantoux positivo. La radiografía fue patológica en 10. De ellos, 7 (70 %) estaban sintomáticos. Las imágenes radiológicas mostraban en 9 (90 %) casos una condensación parenquimatosa y en 5 (50 %) una adenopatía parahiliar. Tres niños (30 %) presentaron atelectasia lobular y precisaron broncoscopia y administración posterior de corticoides. La baciloscopia fue positiva solamente en un niño, el cultivo en siete y la detección de muestra directa para el complejo tuberculosis en otros siete. Únicamente en un niño toda la investigación fue negativa. Conclusiones El diagnóstico de tuberculosis en la infancia es difícil, y a veces debe hacerse en base a unos criterios clínicos, radiológicos y epidemiológicos en niños con Mantoux positivo. Los test de detección de muestra directa para el complejo tuberculosis tienen una sensibilidad muy alta y proporcionan resultados muy rápidos. La aparición de brotes epidémicos continúa siendo un hecho frecuente en nuestro medio. El estudio de contactos en los mismos presenta un elevado rendimiento en el control de los brotes
Objective To describe the clinical and radiological features, diagnosis, and treatment of an epidemic outbreak of tuberculosis in a daycare centre in Zaragoza. Material and methods The index case was a teaching assistant with a late diagnosis of bacilliferous tuberculosis. Mantoux testing was carried out in all children. In those with a positive Mantoux test, a chest X-ray was performed. Children with an abnormal chest X-ray underwent microbiological investigations. Results Among all the children in the daycare center, the Mantoux test was positive in 11 children. Chest X-ray was abnormal in 10 children. Of these, seven (70 %) were symptomatic. Chest X-ray showed dense opacification in nine children (90 %) and mediastinal lymph adenopathy in five (50 %). Three children (30 %) had lobar atelectasis requiring bronchoscopy and subsequent steroid therapy. Bacilloscopy was positive in only one child. Gastric juice culture was positive in seven children and the amplified Mycobacterium tuberculosis direct test was positive in a further seven. All microbiological investigations were negative in only one child. Conclusions Establishing a definitive diagnosis of tuberculosis in children remains difficult and frequently relies on a constellation of clinical findings, radiology and epidemiology in children with a positive Mantoux test. The amplified Mycobacterium tuberculosis direct test has high sensitivity and provides fast results. Epidemic outbreaks continue to be frequent in Spain. Study of contacts shows high efficiency in controlling outbreaks
Subject(s)
Infant , Humans , Disease Outbreaks , Tuberculosis, Pulmonary/epidemiology , Child Day Care Centers , Spain/epidemiology , Tuberculosis, Pulmonary/diagnosis , Tuberculosis, Pulmonary/drug therapyABSTRACT
Infection by Mycobacterium bovis is currently a rare form of tuberculosis in developed countries, being its incidence lower than 1%. Its main mechanism of transmission is through the ingestion of contaminated milk. In this paper, two cases of tuberculosis by Mycobacterium bovis are described, one of lymphatic location by endogenous reactivation and another of pulmonary location, probably by a primary infection acquired through the inhalation route. We stress the risk of transmission of the disease through the respiratory route from infected animals and by person to person contagion.
