OBJECTIVETo analyze the results of surveillance for new smear positive pediatric tuberculosis (TB) cases at the age of 0 to 14 years in China, to understand the trend of prevalence and finding of the new smear positive pediatric cases with TB, to illuminate the significance of surveillance for pediatric TB in TB epidemiology and to explore how to prevent and control pediatric TB with the modern TB control strategy (directly observed treatment, short-course, DOTS).

METHODSAccording to the register of new smear positive pediatric TB cases at the age of 0 to 14 years in the National Annual Surveillance Reporting from 1992 - 2004, the proportion of new smear positive pediatric TB cases among all the new smear positive TB cases in China, the notification rate of new smear positive pediatric TB, the case detection rate of new smear positive TB in the eastern, central and west parts of China, in Beijing, Tianjin and Shanghai municipalities and 13 provinces where the modern TB control strategies have been implemented in 1992 and 15 provinces where the strategies have not been implemented except Beijing, Tianjin and Shanghai municipalities, were analyzed.

RESULTSFrom 1992 to 2004, 31,358 new smear positive pediatric cases with TB at the age of 0 to 14 years were registered, among whom 14,727 were males (47%) and 16,631 were females (53%). The proportion of new smear positive pediatric TB cases among all the new smear positive TB cases was 1.26%, while the proportion among males was 0.89% and among females was 2.03%. The proportion among females was higher than that among males (P < 0.01). The notification rate of new smear positive pediatric cases with TB was between 0.42/100,000 and 1.08/100,000. Among the new smear positive pediatric TB cases, 44.9% were from western parts of China, followed by central and eastern parts of China and only 0.9% were from Beijing, Tianjin and Shanghai municipalities. Excluding Beijing, Tianjin and Shanghai municipalities, 13 provinces where DOTS was implemented since 1992 were compared with the other 15 provinces. The notification rate of new smear positive TB was respectively 75% and 25%. Western region of China was listed on the top in the proportion of new smear positive pediatric TB cases among all the new smear positive TB cases in every year.

CONCLUSIONAmong the registered new smear positive pediatric cases with TB, the number of females was higher than that among females and the proportion among males was also higher than that among males. The number of new smear positive pediatric TB cases in western parts of China was higher than that in central and eastern parts of China and the number in DOTS area was higher than that in non-DOTS area, which meant that the case detection of pediatric TB was associated with TB epidemic and DOTS strategy. Thus, in the implementation of DOTS, strengthening the prevention and control of pediatric TB, tracing the infection source of pediatric TB has certain impact on the TB epidemiological status.