IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v20y2023i3p1737-d1039409.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Pathways of TB Transmission in Children—A Systematic Review of Molecular Epidemiological Studies

Author

Listed:
  • Roland Diel

    (Institute for Epidemiology, University Medical Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, 24105 Kiel, Germany
    LungClinic Grosshansdorf, Airway Research Center North (ARCN), German Center for Lung Research (DZL), 22927 Großhansdorf, Germany)

  • Albert Nienhaus

    (Competence Center for Epidemiology and Health Services Research for Healthcare Professionals (CVcare), Institute for Health Services Research in Dermatology and Nursing (IVDP), University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), 20246 Hamburg, Germany
    Department for Occupational Medicine, Hazardous Substances and Health Sciences (AGG), Statutory Accident Insurance and Prevention in the Health and Welfare Services (BGW), 22089 Hamburg, Germany)

Abstract

The widespread paradigm that younger children usually do not transmit M. tuberculosis complex (Mtbc) to their contacts has not yet been proven by genotypically confirmed transmissions. Therefore, we undertook a systematic review of molecular-epidemiological studies to investigate documented source and secondary TB (tuberculosis) cases among children. We searched the literature published before August 2022 using PubMed , Cochrane , and Google Scholar databases. PRISMA statement was used for systematic review. Of 312 records retrieved, 39 studies including children aged below 15 years offered epidemiological links between cluster members. In the 39 studies from 16 countries, 225 children were reported as cluster members of whom the overwhelming majority were infected by adults. Only 3 children—of those were 2 children aged below 10—were reported to be the definite source cases of 11 other children and 1 adult with genotypically matched Mtbc isolates. To date, molecular-epidemiological studies involving children with verified transmission links are scarce. As far as the heterogeneity of the studies we identified allows, we could conclude that the results confirm the paradigm that children aged below 10 hardly ever transmit Mtbc to others. The true extent of TB transmission through children may, however, be underestimated by those selected studies.

Suggested Citation

  • Roland Diel & Albert Nienhaus, 2023. "Pathways of TB Transmission in Children—A Systematic Review of Molecular Epidemiological Studies," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(3), pages 1-10, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:20:y:2023:i:3:p:1737-:d:1039409
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/20/3/1737/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/20/3/1737/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Andre, M. & Ijaz, K. & Tillinghast, J.D. & Krebs, V.E. & Diem, L.A. & Metchock, B. & Crisp, T. & McElroy, P.D., 2007. "Transmission network analysis to complement routine tuberculosis contact investigations," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 97(3), pages 470-477.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Ge, Erjia & Lai, Poh-Chin & Zhang, Xiulei & Yang, Xiaohuan & Li, Xuezheng & Wang, Haiying & Wei, Xiaolin, 2015. "Regional transport and its association with tuberculosis in the Shandong province of China, 2009–2011," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 46(C), pages 232-243.
    2. Bjarke Frost Nielsen & Kim Sneppen & Lone Simonsen & Joachim Mathiesen, 2021. "Differences in social activity increase efficiency of contact tracing," The European Physical Journal B: Condensed Matter and Complex Systems, Springer;EDP Sciences, vol. 94(10), pages 1-11, October.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:20:y:2023:i:3:p:1737-:d:1039409. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.