Quality of life in children with latent tuberculosis infection

Abstract

The number of children newly infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis continues to increase. Children from foci of tuberculosis infection are most often susceptible to primary infection. In recent years, the number of children diagnosed with latent tuberculosis infection has tended to increase. It is also important that the detection of active tuberculosis also continues to grow among such children.

Objective. To establish the role of risk factors and identify deviations in the quality of life in children with latent tuberculosis infection living in the foci of tuberculosis infection.

Characteristics of children and research methods. The researchers examined 110 children aged 0-14 years. They analyzed the risk factors for infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The effectiveness of BCG vaccination was assessed by the presence and size of the scar. The quality of life was determined using the PedsQL questionnaire version 4.0 for children of 0-14 years old.

Results and discussion. There were much more children whose mothers suffered from tuberculosis in the family. There were much more children whose mothers released bacteria as compared to the children whose mothers did not excrete mycobacterium tuberculosis. The patients with an infiltrative form of pulmonary tuberculosis were the predominant source of infection in children. The children with diagnosed active tuberculosis with a history of latent tuberculosis infection were in close contact with a family member who had previously been in the penitentiary zone, and also had unsatisfactory living conditions.

Conclusion. The presence of an active form of tuberculosis in a child creates the preconditions for a comprehensive deterioration of all parameters of the life quality, while latent tuberculosis infection has an adverse effect only on certain aspects of the life quality. Psychosocial functioning is most commonly affected.