Abstract:

Childhood tuberculosis is an important part of the global tuberculosis prevention and control work. The diagnosis of childhood tuberculosis mainly depends on the results of laboratory tests. However, due to the characteristics of disease and specimens, accurate and rapid diagnosis of tuberculosis in children is still challenging. Pathogenic diagnosis has poor sensitivity regarded as a gold standard for diagnosis, the new molecular biology tests represented by high sensitivity Mycobacterium tuberculosis and rifampin resistant gene detection (Xpert MTB/RIF Ultra) has its prospect due to higher sensitivity and shorter detection time. The tuberculin skin test (TST) is recommended by WHO for low-and middle-income countries. Direct antigen detecting technology has high sensitivity in paucibacillary and extrapulmonary specimens, possessing unique value in the detection of children tuberculosis. Other new immunological methods are important to the diagnosis of childhood tuberculosis when distinguishing latent from active infections. In addition, new methods for detecting the gene expression, protein production, and biomarkers changes after being infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis have been developed. Retaining multiple specimens or joint testing of different specimen types and methods can help improve the detection rate of tuberculosis in children. Increasing the detection rate of tuberculosis in existing methods and non-invasive and accessible specimens, as well as assessing the applicability of new biomarkers and new technologies are the future direction of laboratory diagnosis in childhood tuberculosis.

Key words: Tuberculosis, Child, Laboratory techniques and procedures, Review literature