The incidence of TB and MDR-TB in pediatrics and therapeutic options: a systematic review

BACKGROUND: Tuberculosis (TB) is considered one of the top 10 causes of death worldwide and the leading cause of death from a single infectious agent. Multidrug-resistant (MDR) TB can affect people of all age groups, including children (aged 0–15 years). However, very little is known about the extent of this problem in children. This systematic review aims to investigate the incidence of TB and drug-resistant (DR) TB among the pediatric population. It also reviews the therapeutic options available to treat the condition. METHODS: A comprehensive search for all relevant evidence was conducted. The following databases were searched: MEDLINE, CINAHL, and Web of Science. The searched time frame was limited from January 1990 to December 2020 with a focus on the incidence of TB and MDR-TB among pediatrics and the therapeutic options available. RESULTS: A total of 537 articles were obtained via the selected databases. After title and abstract screening, 418 articles were excluded leaving 119 articles. Full-text screening was conducted on 119 articles, excluding a further 110 articles. Thus, 9 articles were subject to quality assessment and included in this review. The 9 articles represented the age group of 0–15 years and included both males and females. All studies included were of retrospective study design. DISCUSSION: The included studies mentioned a moderate increase in TB cases among pediatrics exacerbated by malnutrition, lack of bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccination, and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) coinfection. MDR-TB prevalence was especially high in South Africa. Drug therapy for both TB and MDR-TB yielded favorable outcomes among pediatrics. However, one of the biggest challenges with drug therapy includes the dosage forms available. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION: DOI: 10.17605/OSF.IO/G34NF SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13643-022-02023-1.