Scientists have explained which children are more likely to get tuberculosis

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Tuberculosis is one of the ten main causes of child mortality in the world. Children are at the greatest risk of developing this disease during the first years of life. Scientists hypothesize that the immune system is compromised by viral infections.

Although several studies have suggested a possible link between TB and cytomegalovirus (CMV), large community-based studies with long-term follow-up have not yet been conducted. Such a study was the new work of scientists from the Boston University School of Public Health (BUSPH) and the University of Cape Town.

Scientists found that infants infected with CMV have a significantly higher risk of developing tuberculosis later in life. . Research has shown that children infected with CMV in the first year of life are three times more likely to develop tuberculosis. about its immunological impact and impact on public health, – says the lead author of the study, Dr. Leonardo Martinez, associate professor of the Department of Epidemiology at BUSPH. – Young children who are infected with CMV in the first few months of life can be immunologically affected by the virus, even if there are no symptoms. This exposes them to a higher risk of other diseases, such as tuberculosis”.