PANORAMA EPIDEMIOLÓGICO DA TUBERCULOSE EM CRIANÇAS E ADOLESCENTES NO BRASIL: ANÁLISE DE CASOS NOTIFICADOS ENTRE 2003 E 2023.

Tuberculosis (TB) remains a significant public health issue in Brazil, particularly among children and adolescents. This study aims to conduct a retrospective analysis of the epidemiological profile of TB cases reported in the population aged 0 to 19 years between 2003 and 2023, focusing on diagnosis and follow-up. It is a descriptive and analytical study with a quantitative approach, utilizing data extracted from the Notifiable Diseases Information System (SINAN) and the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE). A total of 163,262 TB cases were analyzed, of which 55.1% were female and 44.8% were male. The majority of cases were concentrated in the 15 to 19 age group, and the distribution by race/color showed a predominance of mixed-race individuals. A general decline in the number of cases was observed over the years, with a significant reduction between 2020 and 2021. However, the incidence of TB in children under 1 year of age increased gradually. Regarding diagnosis, only 51.87% of cases were confirmed by laboratory tests, with low rates of sputum culture and bacilloscopy. Cure and treatment adherence rates remained stable until 2021 but dropped dramatically in 2023. The study concludes that there are significant challenges in the early diagnosis and management of TB in this population, suggesting the need for more effective public policies to improve health outcomes and reduce TB-related mortality among children and adolescents.