BackgroundThe study was conducted at a high TB-HIV burden primary health community clinic in Cape Town, South Africa. We describe the management of children under five years of age in household contact with a smear and/or culture-positive adult TB case.MethodsThis study was a record review of routinely-collected programme data.ResultsA total of 1094 adult TB case folders were reviewed. From all identified contacts, 149 children should have received IPT based on local guidelines; in only 2/149 IPT was initiated. Management of child contacts of sputum smear and/or culture-positive compared to sputum-negative TB patients were similar.ConclusionsIPT delivery to children remains an operational challenge, especially in high TB-HIV burden communities. A tool to improve IPT management and targeting sputum smear and/or culture-positive TB child contacts may overcome some of these challenges and should be developed and piloted in such settings.
Exposure to ETS is associated with M. tuberculosis infection in children after adjustment for multiple variables, with a dose-response relationship between the degree of ETS exposure and risk of infection. Public health interventions to reduce exposure to tobacco smoke among children in high TB burden settings are urgently needed.
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