Present study was carried out to determined the preferable approach for prevention of childhood tuberculosis, 117 cases of tuberculous meningitis who were admitted to the department of Pediatrics of Korea University Hospital during the period of 4 years from January 1974 to December 1978 were studied.
The results obtained were as followings.
1. The annual incidence of patient was not decreased and which was consisted 3.3%, of the total admission, however there was little dicreasement in 1978.
2. The highest age incidence was in the age of 2 to 5 years and 93.2% were under the age of 8 years, besides 24.8% were under 1 year of age.
3. The seasonal incidence in order of frequency were spring (32.5%) summer (26.5%), autumn (23.9%) and winter (17.1%).
4. One third (35.1%) of the patients were admitted to the hospital between 1-2 weeks after onset but 15.4% was more than 1 month.
5. At the time of admission, vomiting, convulsion fever and headach were the most common complaints.
6. During hospitalization clinically favorable responses were obtained in 63 cases (53.8%) and 6 cases (5.1%) died, but 27.4% were discharged against advice. Most of patients
r (87.2%) stayed in hospital less than 2 weeks, and more than half (54.70) were discharged within 1 week of hospital day.
7. 29.1% out of 117 cases had the source of infection in family members and most of them both parents.
8. B.C.G. vaccination were vaccinated in 25.6% of the total patients and no one had the history of preventive therapy with INH.
9. The annual cost of preventive approach with INH was estimated as about W1,000 to W1,500 per infant. Because of the cost benefit, lost of follow up observation, side reaction of neural or hepatic damage and producing resistant strain of the bacteria, it is considered
that B.C.G. vaccination is the preferable approach for prevention of tuberculous meningitis in childhood at the moment."
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