The theme of this conference was suggested by the Smolensk State Medical Academy in view of the challenges they face with respect to pediatric tuberculosis in the region. This subject of scientific discussion was supported by the World Health Organization (WHO). A number of ISTC partners such as the Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (DHHS), Petersburg Dialogue and the Institute of Medicine, Department of Healthcare of the Smolensk region have also supported this event.

During the two day international meeting it is supposed to discuss problem of multidrug resistant TB in Russia and globally with participation of the experts from Russia, EU, USA, South Africa India, CIS, Georgia and Ukraine.

One of the most dreaded diseases of the 19th century, Tuberculosis (TB) was the eighth leading cause of death in children 1 to 4 years of age during the 1920s. As the general standard of living and medical care improved, the incidence of TB decreased. By the 1960s, it wasn't even in the top 10 causes of death among children of any age group.

But TB is making a comeback globally today — particularly among the homeless, those in prison, and those rendered susceptible because of HIV infection. TB remains one of the major diseases afflicting children throughout the world. Although the exact number of annual cases of childhood tuberculosis is unknown, the World Health Organization (WHO) has estimated approximately 1 million new cases and 400,000 deaths per year in children due to tuberculosis. Many of these cases go undiagnosed and untreated and many of these children could be salvaged if there were improvements in diagnosis and treatment available for children


Many experts in childhood tuberculosis have expressed that children have been neglected in efforts to control tuberculosis. There are many reasons for this including the fact that most children with tuberculosis are not infectious and therefore not considered to be as important as adults with contagious tuberculosis, the difficulty in establishing a microbiological diagnosis of tuberculosis in children, and the relative neglect of pediatricians and researchers in studying childhood tuberculosis.
Significance of the discussed problem is due to high incidence of tuberculosis in children globally, in Russia and this is a specific problem in the Smolensk region. Very serious situation with MDR-TB is in Russia where incidence rates in children are 14,7 per and adolescent of 37,4 per 100 000 of chidren’s population. That means that annually more than 5,500 children become sick. In some regions these estimates are much higher.

All given presentations, as well as an electronic version of the Book of Abstracts are available.

Presentations are here: Download