PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Andreas Sandgren
AU  - Luis E. Cuevas
AU  - Masoud Dara
AU  - Robert P. Gie
AU  - Malgorzata Grzemska
AU  - Anthony Hawkridge
AU  - Anneke C. Hesseling
AU  - Beate Kampmann
AU  - Christian Lienhardt
AU  - Davide Manissero
AU  - Claire Wingfield
AU  - Stephen M. Graham
TI  - Childhood tuberculosis: progress requires an advocacy strategy now
AID  - 10.1183/09031936.00187711
DP  - 2012 Aug 01
TA  - European Respiratory Journal
PG  - 294--297
VI  - 40
IP  - 2
4099  - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/40/2/294.short
4100  - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/40/2/294.full
SO  - Eur Respir J2012 Aug 01; 40
AB  - Childhood tuberculosis (TB) is a preventable and curable infectious disease that remains overlooked by public health authorities, health policy makers and TB control programmes. Childhood TB contributes significantly to the burden of disease and represents the failure to control transmission in the community. Furthermore, the pool of infected children constitutes a reservoir of infection for the future burden of TB. It is time to prioritise childhood TB, advocate for addressing the challenges and grasp the opportunities in its prevention and control. Herein, we propose a scientifically informed advocacy agenda developed at the International Childhood TB meeting held in Stockholm, Sweden, from March 17 to 18, 2011, which calls for a renewed effort to improve the situation for children affected by Mycobacterium tuberculosis exposure, infection or disease. The challenges and needs in childhood TB are universal and apply to all settings and must be addressed more effectively by all stakeholders.