[Pulmonary manifestations of tuberculosis in children].

The occurrence of tuberculosis in children is dependent on a contagious bacillus carrying adult. Among 500 cases notified annually, perhaps 5 or 6% of the total infectious reservoir in France, 75% have parenchymal pulmonary disease and/or lymph nodes. These tuberculous diseases only represent 10% of the pulmonary disorders: 90% remain primary infections (PI active) or latent infections. These are most often asymptomatic (PI Latent) or of low grade activity (PI active). The CT scanner and fibreoptic bronchoscopy are indispensable complementary investigations in tuberculous disease. Whatever the clinical picture the diagnosis rests on bacteriological confirmation (but only 30% of cultures are positive) and most often rests on a body of evidence: for example a contagious adult living in proximity or a contagious family, or other risk factors are present. The evidence of a child with whatever form of pulmonary tuberculosis, even a latent primary infection, requires treatment which is adapted in such a way to enable a cure and to protect against subsequent endogenous re-activation. A coherent system of co-operation between the hospital and community service and between paediatricians and adult physicians is indispensable to find the index adult case to break the chain of contagion. There are two specific aspects in children, first congenital tuberculosis when a diagnosis is difficult and secondly tuberculosis in a child who is HIV positive when the management can be delicate.