The Lancet Global Health: Untangling the complex relationship between HIV-exposure and TB in children: A narrative review

The Lancet Global Health review

With the remarkable success of antiretroviral programmes for the prevention of vertical HIV transmission, there has been a notable reduction in the proportion of children born with HIV and, subsequently, a corresponding increase in the population of children who are HIV-exposed but uninfected (CHEU). There is growing appreciation for the increased risk of childhood morbidity and mortality among CHEU compared with children who are HIV-unexposed, particularly from infectious diseases. Given the high TB prevalence in populations with high HIV prevalence, the effect of HIV exposure on TB is therefore of particular interest.

A review, published in The Lancet Global Health, contextualises and reflects on the existing literature for CHEU with regard to prevention, prevalence, and outcomes of TB infection and TB disease, identifying gaps in reported knowledge on CHEU to guide future research.

Access the full review here.

For more TB updates, check out the TB CAB Weekly Newsletter (Issue #13, 24 April 2026).

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