HEALTH: TB response failing children Diagnosing TB in children
is difficult JOHANNESBURG, 16 November 2012 (IRIN) - The global
fight against tuberculosis (TB) has failed children: most TB
programmes under-diagnose, under-treat or completely leave
children with TB out, despite the increase in paediatric TB, and
rising numbers of children who are infected with drug-resistant
forms of TB strains, according to new research. A new report ,
released by Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), found that 93
percent of children who are tested for TB using the most
commonly used testing method, are deemed not to have the
disease, despite later being confirmed to have it. The study,
presented at the Union World Conference on Lung Health in Kuala
Lumpur, draws upon data collected over three years from over
2,000 children with TB in 13 MSF projects across six countries,
including Myanmar Children co-infected with HIV and TB were at a
greater risk of dying than children with TB, and while more than
half the whole cohort had pulmon