Congenital Tuberculosis in a 2-Week-Old Neonate With an Asymptomatic Mother
Pediatrics·
- DOI
- 10.1542/peds.2025-074675
- PMID
- —
- PMCID
- —
- OpenAlex
- W7203683730
- Study type
- Journal article
- Publisher
- American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)
- Article type
- journal-article
- Integrity
- current
Why this research matters now
The case underscores the need for heightened awareness of tuberculosis during pregnancy, particularly in at-risk populations, to enable early diagnosis and prevent perinatal transmission. It highlights the diagnostic challenge posed by asymptomatic maternal TB and variable presentation in affected neonates.
Structured evidence summary
Research question
This case report describes the clinical presentation, diagnosis, and management of congenital tuberculosis in twin neonates born to an asymptomatic mother.
Study design
Case report documenting congenital TB in a 2-week-old male neonate and his fraternal twin, with subsequent diagnosis of genitourinary TB in their mother.
Population and setting
The case involves diamniotic, dichorionic twin males born at 36 weeks 1 day gestation, with one presenting at 2 weeks of age with poor feeding and fever, and their initially asymptomatic mother and twin brother.
Main findings
The index case presented with nonspecific symptoms, developed acute respiratory failure requiring intubation, and was diagnosed via endotracheal aspirates. He experienced a paradoxical reaction to TB treatment requiring corticosteroids. The twin brother was subsequently diagnosed with congenital TB, and the mother was found to have genitourinary TB on endometrial biopsy.
Public-health relevance
The case underscores the need for heightened awareness of tuberculosis during pregnancy, particularly in at-risk populations, to enable early diagnosis and prevent perinatal transmission. It highlights the diagnostic challenge posed by asymptomatic maternal TB and variable presentation in affected neonates.
Important limitations
This summary is limited to the supplied single-article abstract and metadata. As a case report, generalizability is inherently limited. Full interpretation of diagnostic criteria, treatment protocols, and epidemiologic context requires review of the complete published article.
GIDS interpretation
The article was classified under Tuberculosis (disease), and Transmission dynamics and Treatment (topics). These links enable discoverability in surveillance contexts where congenital TB, perinatal transmission, or treatment complications are monitored, but do not indicate that the case itself represents a novel outbreak or signal.
Related GIDS surveillance
Literature context does not validate, explain, or change a surveillance signal. Exact and contextual relationships are shown separately.
Evidence relationships
This article has 7 auditable classifier relationships to diseases, places, topics, and study design.