Epidemiological and clinical characteristics of tuberculosis in children, Central District Metropolitan Health Region, Honduras

Abstract

Background: In 2015, the overall tuberculosis incidence rate per 100,000 inhabitants was 43 in Honduras and 29 in the Central District Municipality. Objective: To characterize clinically and epidemiologically the cases of childhood tuberculosis, Metropolitan Sanitary Region of the Central District (RSMDC), 2016. Methods: Descriptive cross-sectional study. We reviewed the Tuberculosis Case Notification Forms for patients under or equal to 18 years of age, registered during 2016. Sociodemographic and clinical variables were analyzed. A database was designed in EpiInfo 7.2.1. Personal case information was handled confidentially. Results: Of the total 400 registered cases, 13 (3.2%) contained complete information. Based on these 13 cases, 53.8% were girls, 46.2% between 15 and 18 years old. The diagnosis was clinical in 67%, 27% had pulmonary tuberculosis and 16.7% extrapulmonary. The most commonly used diagnostic method was baciloscopy (38.5%). All received basic primary treatment, without comorbidities, were not at risk or belonged to a risk group; they did not present relapses or HIV co-infection. Discussion: The case notification system in RSMDC denotes an extraordinary and unacceptable deficit in the recording of information. Although the characterization made may be biased by the small number of cases, its characteristics are similar to those described for childhood tuberculosis. It is imperative to strengthen epidemiological surveillance of tuberculosis in Honduras with emphasis on child tuberculosis and contact detection and treatment.