Tuberculosis among children, adolescents and young adults in the Philippines: a surveillance report

Authors

  • Kathryn Snow Centre for International Child Health, University of Melbourne, Department of Paediatrics and Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Royal Children’s Hospital, Melbourne, Australia; School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
  • Rajendra Yadav WHO Country Office for the Philippines, Manila, Philippines
  • Justin Denholm Victorian Tuberculosis Program, Melbourne Health, Melbourne, Australia; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
  • Susan Sawyer Centre for Adolescent Health, Royal Children’s Hospital, Melbourne, Australia; Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Melbourne, Australia; Department of Paediatrics, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
  • Stephen Graham Centre for International Child Health, University of Melbourne, Department of Paediatrics and Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Royal Children’s Hospital, Melbourne, Australia; International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease, Paris, France

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5365/wpsar.2017.8.4.011

Abstract

The Philippines, a country with a young population, is currently experiencing an intense and persistent tuberculosis epidemic. We analysed patient-based national surveillance data to investigate the epidemiology of reported tuberculosis among children (aged 0–9 years), adolescents (aged 10–19 years) and young adults (aged 20–24 years) to better understand the burden of disease and treatment outcomes in these age groups.

Descriptive analyses were performed to assess age-related patterns in notifications and treatment outcomes. Data quality was assessed against international benchmarks at the national and regional levels.

Overall, 27.3% of tuberculosis notifications for the Philippines in 2015 pertained to children, adolescents and young adults aged 0–24 years. Treatment outcomes were generally favourable, with 81% of patients being cured or completing treatment. The data quality assessment revealed substantial regional variation in some indicators and suggested potential underdetection of tuberculosis in children aged 0–4 years.

Children, adolescents and young adults in the Philippines constitute a substantial proportion of patients in the national tuberculosis surveillance data set. Long-term progress against tuberculosis in the Philippines relies on improving the control of tuberculosis in these key age groups.

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Published

09-11-2018

How to Cite

1.
Snow K, Yadav R, Denholm J, Sawyer S, Graham S. Tuberculosis among children, adolescents and young adults in the Philippines: a surveillance report. Western Pac Surveill Response J [Internet]. 2018 Nov. 9 [cited 2026 Apr. 3];9(4). Available from: https://ojs.wpro.who.int/ojs/index.php/wpsar/article/view/586

Issue

Vol. 9 No. 4 (2018): October – December

Section

Surveillance Report

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