Cadmus, Simeon I.B.Jenkins, Akinbowale OlajideGodfroid, JacquesOsinusi, K.Adewole, I.F.Murphy, R.L.Taiwo, B.O.2009-04-072009-04-072009Cadmus SIB, et al. Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Mycobacterium africanum in stools from children attending an immunization clinic in Ibadan, Nigeria, Int J Infect Dis (2009), doi:10.1016/j.ijid.2008.11.0161201-971210.1016/j.ijid.2008.11.016http://hdl.handle.net/2263/9489BACKGROUD: Tuberculosis is a major cause of chilhood morbidity and mortality in Nigeria. Diagnosis of childhood tuberculosis is a global challenge making early treatment a mirage. In this study we investigated the stools of children for the presence of mycobacteria. METHODS: Stool samples from children aged 3 days to 3 years who presented for postnatal immunization at a large University-based clinic in Nigeria, were subjected to Ziehl-Neelsen staining. Samples with acid-fast bacilli wer further processed using mycobacterial culture, spoligotyping, and deletion typing. RESULTS: One hundred and ninety-two stool samples from different children were collected and processed. Thirty (15.6%) had acid-fast bacilli. Of these, eight had Mycobacterial tuberculosis and one had Mycobacterial africanum. CONCLUSION: Approximetely 5% (9/192) of apparently well children had evidence of potentially serious tuberculosis infection. The usefullness of stool specimens for diagnosing pediatric tuberculosis warrants further investigation.enElsevierTuberculosisStoolDiagnosisPediatricMycobacterium tuberculosis -- NigeriaFecesChildren -- DiseasesChildren -- NigeriaDiarrhea in children -- NigeriaPediatric gastroenterologyPostprint Article