Reversing the neglect of children and adolescents affected by tuberculosis

Although tuberculosis is preventable and curable, it remains among the top ten causes of death in children younger than 5 years globally. 1 Perin J Mulick A Yeung D et al. Global, regional, and national causes of under-5 mortality in 2000–19: an updated systematic analysis with implications for the Sustainable Development Goals. Lancet Child Adolesc Health. 2022; 6: 106-115 Summary Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (192) Google Scholar More than 80% of children who die from tuberculosis are younger than 5 years, and 96% die without ever receiving appropriate care. 2 Dodd PJ Yuen CM Sismanidis C Seddon JA Jenkins HE The global burden of tuberculosis mortality in children: a mathematical modelling study. Lancet Glob Health. 2017; 5: e898-e906 Summary Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (233) Google Scholar Estimates from WHO indicate that in 2021, 1·2 million children (aged <10 years) and young adolescents (aged 10–14 years) developed tuberculosis, and 209 000 died from the disease. 3 WHOGlobal tuberculosis report. https://www.who.int/teams/global-tuberculosis-programme/tb-reports/global-tuberculosis-report-2022Date: 2022 Date accessed: July 7, 2023 Google Scholar