People with weak immune systems, like children, the elderly, and HIV and diabetic patients are at increase risk of developing active TB. But, reports [s]Health-e[/s], although a recent [b]World Health Organisation[/b] report showed that children represent as much as 20% of TB cases in SA, many health workers do not feel comfortable diagnosing TB in children, who often have a difficult time coughing up mucous for further testing. For those children who are diagnosed with drug-resistant TB, there is a lack of child-friendly treatments available. The WHO review suggests that routine TB screening be provided as part of maternal and child health programmes.
[link url=http://www.health-e.org.za/2014/04/15/childhood-tb-cases-spark-calls-wider-screening]Full Health-e report[/link]