| Summary: | <p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Tuberculosis (TB) is a major cause of childhood morbidity and mortality in developing countries. One of the main difficulties is obtaining adequate specimens for bacteriological confirmation of the disease in children.</p> <p>The aim of this study is to evaluate the adequacy of fine-needle aspiration (FNA) for the diagnosis of TB.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>In a prospective study conducted at the paediatric hospital in Bangui in 2007–2009, we used fine-needle aspiration to obtain samples for diagnosis of TB from 131 children aged 0–17 years with persistent lymphadenitis.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Fine-needle aspiration provided samples that could be used for bacteriological confirmation of TB. Ziehl-Neelsen staining for acid-fast bacilli was positive in 42.7% of samples, and culture identified TB in 67.2% of cases. Of 75 samples that were stain-negative, 49 (65.3%) were culture-positive, while 12 stain-positive samples remained culture-negative. Ten of the 12 stain-positive, culture-negative samples were from patients who had received previous antimicrobial therapy. With regard to phenotypic drug susceptibility, 81/88 strains (91.1%) were fully susceptible to isoniazid, rifampicin, ethambutol and streptomycin, six (6.8%) were resistant to one drug, and one multidrug-resistant strain was found.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Fine-needle aspiration is simple, cost-effective and non-invasive and can be performed by trained staff. Combined with rapid molecular diagnostic tests, fine-needle aspirates could improve the diagnosis of TB and provide valuable information for appropriate treatment and drug resistance.</p>
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