Abstract
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.