Risk factors for Tuberculosis in children at labuang baji hospital and center for community pulmonary health Makassar in 2023

Abstract

Efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) include eradicating the global tuberculosis (TB) epidemic by 2030. In 2020, the global TB incidence rate stood at 121 per 100,000 people, with 1.1 million children succumbing to the disease worldwide. Indonesia alone recorded 42,187 pediatric TB cases in 2021, emphasizing the urgency of addressing this public health concern.A recent observational study in Makassar City focused on children aged 0-14, revealing 380 cases in 2022, notably concentrated in Labuang Baji Regional Hospital, Tajuddin Chalid Hospital, and Community Center for Lung Health Makassar. Developing countries, where children under 15 constitute 40-50% of the population, witness around 500,000 pediatric TB cases annually, leading to severe morbidity and mortality, especially in those under 14. May to July 2023, researchers conducted a case-control study involving 114 children. The study revealed that malnutrition (with an odds ratio of 2.614 and a 95% confidence interval of 1.133-6.085) and a history of TB contact (with an odds ratio of 7.84 and a 95% confidence interval of 2.932-22.319) emerged as noteworthy risk factors for pediatric TB. Notably, economic status, residential density, BCG vaccination status, and exposure to smokers showed no significant impact on the prevalence of the disease.The study advocates consistent screening of adult TB patients' family contacts to trace potential cases in children. Future research should explore the feasibility of TB transmission among children. Tackling malnutrition and strengthening contact tracing initiatives are imperative to curbing pediatric TB, aligning with global goals for a TB-free world by 2030.