Every year there are approximately 1 million new cases of tuberculosis in the paediatric age group worldwide. Children affected by tuberculosis are particularly vulnerable. They have a higher risk of progression from infection to disease and also of developing severe TB such as miliary TB and TB meningitis. Nevertheless, the paediatric population has not been given a high priority in national TB control programs, although preventing the infection in children forms the baseline for achieving a TB free generation.
The International Meeting on Childhood Tuberculosis will be the first in Italy focusing on this disease in children. It is organized by the Department for Woman and Child Health of the University Hospital of Padua. The World Health Organization - Stop TB Department will join this scientific initiative. Moreover
the Paediatric Tuberculosis European Network (PTBNET), a paediatric network of academic specialists that has been formed to facilitate collaborative research studies for childhood TB, presided over by Prof. B. Kampmann, will co-sponsor the scientific event. The event will be also be promoted by Doctors with Africa Cuamm which is the largest Italian non-governmental organization for the promotion and safeguard of the health of African populations.
The meeting intends to offer to the attendees the most up to date information on epidemiology, clinical presentation, diagnosis, prevention and treatment of paediatric tuberculosis with a leading international faculty composed of renowned experts from Europe, Africa, the United States, and Australia. It provides a special opportunity for profitable discussion and exchange of clinical and research experiences.