CRITERIA FOR THE NOTIFICATION OF CHILDHOOD TUBERCULOSIS IN A HIGH-INCIDENCE AREA OF THE WESTERN CAPE PROVINCE

  • 21 April 1990
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 77  (8) , 385-386
Abstract
The meical records of 124 children notified from Ravensmead Clinic. Parow, as having tuberculosis during 1987 were reviewed in order to determine the strength of the evidence on which the diagnosis was made. Arraging the diagnositc criteria in an hierarchical manner, as suggested by the World Health Organization, the cases were categorized as suspect, probable or confirmed. Twenty-five were suspect cases (20%), 89 probable cases (72%) and the remaining 10 confirmed cases (8%). These findings indicated that notifications from the clinic were being made in accordance with internationally accepted practice. The use of the WHO approach for the categorization of childhood tuberculosis cases is recommended for both clinical and epidemiological purposes.