5.2.5.5. Infants aged under 3 months or weighing less than 3 kg

Infants aged under 3 months or weighing less than 3 kg (including premature birth (under 37 weeks) were not eligible for inclusion in the SHINE trial. No new data on treatment of congenital TB and very young infants aged 0–3 months with TB disease were received following a call for data. Given the early development of the immune system, infants aged under 3 months with suspected or confirmed PTB or tuberculous peripheral lymphadenitis should be treated promptly with the 6-month treatment regimen (2HRZ(E)/4HR), as per the existing recommendation from the 2014 Guidance for national tuberculosis programmes on the management of tuberculosis in children (6). Treatment may require dose adjustment to reconcile the effect of age and possible toxicity in young infants. The decision to adjust doses should be taken by a clinician experienced in managing paediatric TB.

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