[The campaign against tuberculosis in 1993. Imperatives and current perceptions].
The continuing presence of tuberculosis in the world and its reappearance in industrialized countries again emphasizes the need to maintain and reinforce tuberculosis control. Despite the existence of effective drugs, there are still, deplorably, nearly 20 million cases of active tuberculosis throughout the world, with at least 3 million deaths annually. Almost 1.7 billion people are infected with the Koch bacillus. These figures are approximate and probably underestimate the real situation, as precise epidemiological data are not available. The rules of tuberculosis control are reviewed in this article, with distinctions drawn between low prevalence countries, where the objective is to eradicate the disease, and high prevalence countries, where it must be contained and reduced as quickly as possible the interruption of the claim of transmission of tuberculosis and the necessary collective measures are described in turn. The role of new techniques, particularly those based on molecular biology, is discussed. The importance of case finding and treatment in groups at risk in France is underlined, as are the role of BCG and the importance of protective measures, particularly in hospitals and in vulnerable subjects. The association between tuberculosis and HIV is well-known, but the HIV epidemic does not seem to be the only reason for the current resurgence of the tuberculosis problem in France in particular.
Chrétien
J
J
l'Université Paris V.
D005602:France / Q000453:epidemiology; D014943:Global Health; D006801:Humans; D015995:Prevalence; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*
La lutte antituberculeuse en 1993. Impératifs et aperçus actuels.