Abstract：In recent years, the incidence rate of pediatric tuberculosis is increasing due to an increase of migrating populations, reduced coverage of vaccination and other issues related to the diagnosis and treatment practice in the rural clinics. This study was conducted in order to determine the characteristics of clinical diagnosis, and treatment of children with tuberculosis. Fifty-four pediatric cases of confirmed tuberculosis, hospitalized from March 2006 to July 2008, were analyzed for age, sex, clinical manifestations, laboratory and imaging test results, final diagnosis and treatment. The results showed that among 54 cases, children younger than 5 years old were most represented ( 64. 8% ) . Pulmonary complicated with extra-pulmonary tuberculosis was the most common clinical type ( 44. 5% ) , followed by pulmonary tuberculosis alone ( 37. 0% ) , and extra-pulmonary tuberculosis alone ( 18. 5% ) . The initial misdiagnosis rate was 55. 6% prior to hospitalization. The major imaging findings included diffuse pulmonary nodular or patchy shadows, pleural thickening with or without pleural effusion, enlargement of mediastinal or hilar lymph nodes, enlargement of celiac lymph nodes, and brain computer tomography ( CT) or magnetic resonance imaging ( MRI) abnormalities. This study suggests that children under 5 years old are particularly susceptible to tuberculosis. Tuberculin tests, when combined with imaging techniques, can increase the positive diagnosis rate significantly. Prompt standard anti-tuberculosis therapy is effective for the majority of pediatric tuberculosis patients.
