Diagnosis of latent primary intrathoracic tuberculosis of respiratory system in the phase of calcification in children

The paper shows the latent activity of newly diagnosed intrathoracic tuberculosis in the phase of calcification in children: clinical and X-ray changes, tuberculin sensitivity (Manteaux test), the presence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MBT) in the sputum and blood (cultivation, bacterioscopy, polymerase chain reaction PCR), the blood levels of acute-phase reagents: haptoglobin and alpha 1-protease inhibitor (alpha 1-PI), immunological parameters, tuberculosis antibodies (TAb), and MBT antigen. Ninety children were examined before treatment. Twenty-five children (Group 1) were found to have single minor calcified masses in one group of intrathoracic lymph nodes or in the lung. Thirty-five children (Group 2) had multiple lymph nodes or foci in the lung in the phase of consolidation and calcification. Thirty children (Group 3, controls) were diagnosed as having intrathoracic tuberculosis in the phase of infiltration. The signs of the latent activity of tuberculosis were detected in all the children of all three groups, being more pronounced in Group 3. Thus, MBT and TAb were revealed in 90% of the children in Group 3 and in 52.9 and 76.0% in Groups 1 and 2, respectively. There were higher levels of alpha 1-PI in 96.6 and 75.0% in Groups 3 and 1, respectively. There were signs of intoxication in 80 and 88% and a hyperergic Mantoux reaction in 44.0 and 43.3%, respectively. The frequency of the signs of activity did not greatly differ. Thus, children with newly diagnosed respiratory tuberculosis in the phase of calcification should be regarded as having the signs of tuberculosis activity, followed up as Group I patients, and prescribed chemotherapy for 3-6 months or more, depending on the extent of the process.