Miliary tuberculosis with positive acid-fast bacilli in a pediatric patient

Abstract

Although in some particular cases sputum can be positive for acid-fast bacilli in children, limitations to the sputum test have forced pediatricians to base tuberculosis diagnosis on epidemiological data, clinical findings and radiographic pattern. In this particular case, we hypothesize that the sputum bacillus test was positive because bacilli grew inside residual pneumatoceles that were produced during previous pneumonia.

Tuberculous otitis media and staphylococcus aureus coinfection in a five-year-old boy with miliary tuberculosis

“…[45] A report of miliary tuberculosis after staphylococcal pneumonia was also described in a five-year-old boy whose sputum was found to be positive for AFB. [6]…”

Unusual presentations of osteoarticular tuberculosis in two paediatric patients

“…One major pitfall in managing these patients is the misconception that immunisation with BCG can completely eradicate miliary disease and TB meningitis. Miliary TB had been shown to occur in patients with complete immunisation including BCG 24 29. In addition, a meta-analysis reported that the efficacy was only 73% for TB meningitis and 77% for miliary TB 30.…”