Kekkaku. 2013 Jul;88(7):611-6.
In 2011, the number of newly notified childhood tuberculosis (TB) cases (tuberculosis patients aged 0-14 years) in Japan was 84, which corresponds to a notification rate of 0.50 per 100,000. The annual notified numbers and rates (per 100,000 population) of childhood TB cases decreased steadily until 2006, when the number became less than 100, after which the numbers have since remained stable. Among the 84 childhood TB patients who were notified in 2011, 33 (39.3%) were aged 0-4 years, 20 (23.8%) were aged 5-9 years, and 31 (36.9%) were aged 10-14 years. The proportion of TB patients aged 10-14 years was higher in 2011 than in previous years. In 2011, one TB meningitis case and two miliary TB cases were reported in children. Further, 23 symptomatic patients (27.4%) were identified at medical institutions and 45 patients (53.6%) were identified by contact investigation of household members. Together, these groups of patients accounted for nearly 80% of the cases of childhood TB that were detected, which was similar to the percentage in previous years. Since 1999, the notification rates of TB patients aged 85 years and above have been consistently higher among those aged 65 years and above in Japan. The annual rate of reduction in the notification rates of TB patients aged 65-79 years has accelerated from 12,625 in 2000 to 6,427 in 2011. The proportion of TB patients aged 65 years and above has consistently increased, reaching up to more than 60% in 2011; notably, the proportion of TB patients aged 80 years and above has increased to more than 30%. The proportion of bacteriologically positive TB cases among pulmonary TB (PTB) cases was higher in those aged 65 years and above than those aged 15-64 years. The proportion of PTB patients with only nonrespiratory symptoms increased with age, reaching 28.9% in those aged 85 years and above. The proportion of TB cases associated with a patient delay of two months or longer was much less in the patients aged 65 years and above than those aged 15-64 years (14.5% vs. 25.8%), whereas the proportion of TB cases associated with a doctor delay of one month or longer was slightly higher in the patients aged 65 years and above than those aged 15-64 years (24.2% vs. 20.0%). Of the newly notified TB patients in 2010 whose treatment outcomes are available as of writing, 28.5% died within a year after the initiation of TB treatment; of these, 16.3% died within three months. The proportion of deaths within three months after the initiation of the TB treatment among the patients aged 65 years and above showed substantial increase with age from 3.6% in 65-69 years old to 17.0% in 90 years and above.
2011年，日本新报告的儿童结核病（0至14岁结核病患者）病例数为84例，相当于每10万人中有0.50例的报告率。直到2006年，儿童结核病病例的年度报告数和报告率（每10万人口）一直在稳步下降，当年病例数降至100例以下，此后病例数一直保持稳定。在2011年报告的84例儿童结核病患者中，33例（39.3%）年龄在0至4岁，20例（23.8%）年龄在5至9岁，31例（36.9%）年龄在10至14岁。2011年，10至14岁结核病患者的比例高于往年。2011年，报告了1例儿童结核性脑膜炎病例和2例粟粒性结核病病例。此外，23例有症状患者（27.4%）在医疗机构被确诊，45例患者（53.6%）通过家庭成员接触调查被确诊。这些患者群体加起来占检测出的儿童结核病病例的近80%，这与往年的比例相似。自1999年以来，日本85岁及以上结核病患者的报告率在65岁及以上人群中一直较高。65至79岁结核病患者报告率的年下降率已从2000年的12625例加速至2011年的6427例。65岁及以上结核病患者的比例持续上升，在2011年达到60%以上；值得注意的是，80岁及以上结核病患者的比例已增至30%以上。65岁及以上人群中肺结核（PTB）病例中细菌学阳性结核病病例的比例高于15至64岁人群。仅伴有非呼吸道症状的PTB患者比例随年龄增长而增加，在85岁及以上人群中达到28.9%。65岁及以上患者中与患者延误两个月或更长时间相关的结核病病例比例远低于15至64岁患者（14.5%对25.8%），而65岁及以上患者中与医生延误一个月或更长时间相关的结核病病例比例略高于15至64岁患者（24.2%对20.0%）。在撰写本文时可获得治疗结果的2010年新报告结核病患者中，28.5%在开始结核病治疗后一年内死亡；其中，16.3%在三个月内死亡。65岁及以上患者在开始结核病治疗后三个月内的死亡比例随年龄大幅增加，从65至69岁的3.6%增至90岁及以上的17.0%。
