Authors:

Sacristán Martín AM^a, Casares Alonso I^b, Lage García MJ^c

^aPediatra. CS Pintor Oliva. Palencia. España.
^bPediatra. CS de Venta de Baños. Palencia. España.

Correspondence: AM Sacristán. Email: sacristan@compalencia.org

Reference of this article.:

Sacristán Martín AM, Casares Alonso I, Lage García MJ. Prevalencia de infección tuberculosa en adolescentes de 11 a 14 años en Palencia. Rev Pediatr Aten Primaria. 2004;6:9-17..

Published in Internet: 31/03/2004

Abstract:

Introduction: the tuberculosis infection is still a pending subject for the Spanish Public Health System, with bigger figures than we could expect for our level of development. Objectives: to determine the prevalence of tuberculosis infection in young teenagers in the health area of Palencia. Patients and methods: 360 adolescents were studied between the ages of 11 to 14 in the province of Palencia. Their clinic histories were revised and a short questionnaire was carried out in order to detect risk factors that were unnoticed in the clinic history. Results: the global prevalence of the tuberculosis infection was 2,5% but in patients without risk factors it was only 0,87%. The only outstanding risk factor was the previous contact with an affected adult with active tuberculosis. The contact with an adult having a chronic cough in the coalfield of Guardo may also be a factor of risk. The infected children had a higher average age than the other children but they were not different in relation to the other factors studied. Conclusions: the prevalence of tuberculosis infection is less than 1%, for this reason the active search for children without risk factors has been rejected. The necessity to increase the control of the infection is considered in every respect.

Keywords: Adolescence. Tuberculosis infection.

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Tuberculosis infection prevalence in 11 to 14 years old adolescents in Palencia