Patient selection: pediatric patient 1 to 15 years of age
Criteria:
(1) a history of contact with a patient with tuberculosis within the previous 2 years
(2) compatible clinical findings (fever, cough, weight loss) that fail to respond to antibiotics
(3) tuberculin skin test results:
(3a) no BCG vaccination: > 10 mm
(3b) BCG vaccination < 2 years ago: > 15 mm
(3c) BCG vaccination >= 2 years ago: > 10 mm
(4) chest X-ray findings compatible with tuberculosis (hilar or peritracheal lymphadenopathy, slowly developing pulmonary infiltrate, miliary pattern, cavitation, infiltrate in the lung apices)
A patient was suspected of having pulmonary tuberculosis if at least 3 criteria are present.
Differential diagnosis:
(1) deep fungal infections like histoplasmosis
