ABSTRACT
Childhood tuberculosis differs from adult tuberculosis in epidemiology, clinical and radiographic presentation, and treatment. The risk of a child developing tuberculosis is influenced by age, immune status, and the intensity of exposure to a source case with tuberculosis disease. Childhood tuberculosis is most often a complication of the pathophysiologic events following the initial infection. The principles of treatment of asymptomatic tuberculosis infection are similar for pregnant women and other adults of comparable age. Although treatment of tuberculosis disease during pregnancy is unquestioned, the treatment of the pregnant woman who has an asymptomatic tuberculosis infection is more controversial. As pregnancy seem to increase the risk of a woman progressing from infection to disease, some clinicians prefer to delay treatment of tuberculosis infection until after delivery. In mothers who are continued on tuberculosis treatment following the delivery of the infant, questions arise regarding the safety of breastfeeding while the mother is receiving antituberculosis drugs.
