• Samuel Kizito, Rita Nakalega, Dorothy Nampijja, Collins Atuheire, Geofrey Amanya, Edrisa Kibuuka, Hellen Nansumba, Ekwaro Obuku, Joan Kalyango, and Charles Karamagi.
• Clinical Epidemiology Unit, School of Medicine, College of Health Science Makerere University, P.O.Box 7072 Kampala.
• Afr Health Sci. 2022 Dec 1; 22 (4): 607618607-618.

BackgroundThere is uncertainty about the actual burden of childhood TB in Uganda, but underestimation is acknowledged. We aimed at determining prevalence, factors associated with PTB among children attending PHC facilities in Kampala.MethodsThis was a cross-sectional study of 255 children, with presumed TB, attending six health facilities in Kampala, Uganda, in March 2015. Socio-demographic, clinical, and laboratory data were collected using a questionnaire. TB was diagnosed using "Desk Guide" algorithms. Sputum based on ZN/FM and/or Gene-Xpert. Logistic regression was used to assess associations with outcomes.ResultsOverall, prevalence of PTB 13.7 % (2.6 - 24.8). Among HIV-positive, the prevalence of PTB was 41.7%, while among malnourished children, 21.7% and contacts, 89.3%. The factors that influenced PTB included: tobacco smoker at home (OR = 1.6, 95 % CI: 1.07 - 6.86), stunting (OR = 2.2, 95 % CI: 1.01 - 4.15). Only 5.3% of the smear-negative TB children and 81.3% of the smear-positive children were initiated on treatment within a month of diagnosis.ConclusionClinical TB among children is underdiagnosed and undertreated. There is a need for more sensitive and specific diagnostic tests, need ways to disseminate and promote uptake of standardized clinical algorithms. Also, contact TB tracing should be strengthened so that such cases can be actively detected even at community level.© 2022 Kizito S et al.

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