[Tuberculosis in children as an important indicator in the fight against tuberculosis].

In spite of the fact that tuberculosis in children is continuously declining (in the Brasov District it fell from 197 cases during 1960-1970 to 67 between 1977 and 1979), a large number of cases are still recorded in children under the age of 3 years (from a percentage of 23 of the total number of sick children in 1969 to 44.8 in the last period). Epidemiologic studies discovered infection sources in 91% of the vaccinated children (parents represented 68% of all sources). Thus the source in the proximity, and detectable through the epidemiologic investigation exceeds the protection provided by the BCG vaccination, which results in a better protection against extra-familial infections, more rare and sporadic. It appears that in tuberculosis sources BCG vaccination alone is less efficient and a more prompt application of other preventive measures should be considered, such as early detection, rapid removal of the source, removing the children from the infective environment. Considerations should also be given to a control of the parents, especially of the father, which appears to be the source of infection twice as frequently as the mother.