Case of severe lung damage in a child in Kyrgyzstan

Severe lung damage in a child in Kyrgyzstan detected late due to concealment of contact with mother

A clinical case has been described in Kyrgyzstan involving a five-year-old girl whose tuberculosis was detected late. Symptoms initially resembling pneumonia masked the development of caseous pneumonia with destruction of lung tissue.

A persistent cough, high fever and weakness — symptoms that may be mistaken for ordinary pneumonia — can mask more dangerous diseases. In Kyrgyzstan, specialists presented such a clinical case, in which late detection of tuberculosis led to the development of caseous pneumonia with destruction of lung tissue.

Circumstances of the case and delay in diagnosis

The child's illness began in November 2024. The girl was examined repeatedly by doctors and received treatment for respiratory diseases in Moscow. She was later diagnosed with pneumonia and prescribed antibacterial therapy, but the expected improvement did not follow.

The patient's condition gradually worsened: marked weakness, fever rising to 38–39 degrees, loss of appetite and weight loss, and a severe cough were noted. The child then returned to Osh.

An epidemiological history revealed that the girl had been in contact with her mother, who was undergoing treatment for pulmonary tuberculosis with multidrug-resistant pathogen (MDR-TB) at a Russian hospital. The examination was delayed because the family concealed the fact of contact.

Clinical details

This clinical case was described in the journal "Health Care of Kyrgyzstan" (2026, No. 3). The authors of the publication were S. E. Aitikeeva, E. U. Usubalieva, G. O. Omuralieva and A. K. Teshebaeva.