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Volume 1, Number 4—October 1995
Synopsis

Diagnosis of Tuberculosis in Children: Increased Need for Better Methods

Ejaz A. Khan and Jeffrey R. StarkeComments to Author 
Author affiliations: Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA

Main Article

Table 3

A set of criteria for the diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) in children when culture is not available

A. Positive acid-fast stain of sputum or gastric aspirate
or
B. Two or more of the following:
History of contact with a tuberculous adult
Cough lasting longer than 2 weeks
A reactive tuberculin skin test > or = 10 mm in children without prior BCG vaccination > or = 15 mm in children with prior BCG vaccination
Radiographic findings compatible with TB
Response to anti-TB therapy (increased body weight by 10% after 2 months, decrease in symptoms)
Source: ref. 33.

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