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Cover of Rapid Advice

Rapid Advice

Treatment of Tuberculosis in Children
Geneva: World Health Organization; .
ISBN-13: 978-92-4-150044-9

Excerpt

The World Health Organization (WHO) first published guidance for national tuberculosis control programmes on managing tuberculosis in children (hereafter called “the Guidance”) in 2006. The Guidance follows the principles of a public health approach aimed at optimizing outcomes, including the quality of life and survival, of children with tuberculosis; it also serves as a reference tool for countries to adopt and adapt according to their national circumstances.

During 2009 and 2010, WHO updated the Guidance through a series of coordinated efforts to review and synthesize evidence on the correct dosages of antituberculosis medicines for use in children and the regimens that should be used for different manifestations of the disease in children. This evidence was assembled following systematic reviews, pharmacokinetic simulations and the preparation of evidence summaries, using GRADE profiles and analysis where appropriate.

There have been major developments in advancing the use of new diagnostic tools, but these tools are not recommended for the diagnosis of latent tuberculosis infection or active tuberculosis disease in children. Preventive chemotherapy for children infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) will be addressed in other guidelines published by WHO.

The availability of new evidence, specifically concerning the correct dosages of the four essential antituberculosis medicines, justified the rapid revision of WHO’s Guidance.

Representatives of the Stop TB Partnership’s Childhood TB sub-working group who participated in the Guidelines Group formulated this revised guideline in the format of a Rapid Advice during a meeting of the Guidelines Group held in March 2010. In addition, two experts in paediatric pharmacology contributed to the development of this Rapid Advice.

The designations employed and the presentation of the material in this publication do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the World Health Organization concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. Dotted lines on maps represent approximate border lines for which there may not yet be full agreement.

The mention of specific companies or of certain manufacturers’ products does not imply that they are endorsed or recommended by the World Health Organization in preference to others of a similar nature that are not mentioned. Errors and omissions excepted, the names of proprietary products are distinguished by initial capital letters.

All reasonable precautions have been taken by the World Health Organization to verify the information contained in this publication. However, the published material is being distributed without warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied. The responsibility for the interpretation and use of the material lies with the reader. In no event shall the World Health Organization be liable for damages arising from its use.

Copyright © World Health Organization 2010.

All rights reserved. Publications of the World Health Organization can be obtained from WHO Press, World Health Organization, 20 Avenue Appia, 1211 Geneva 27, Switzerland (tel.: +41 22 791 3264; fax: +41 22 791 4857; e-mail: tni.ohw@sredrokoob). Requests for permission to reproduce or translate WHO publications – whether for sale or for noncommercial distribution – should be addressed to WHO Press, at the above address (fax: +41 22 791 4806; e-mail: tni.ohw@snoissimrep).

Bookshelf ID: NBK310339PMID: 26269860

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