Global epidemiologic aspects of tuberculosis in children

•Tuberculosis in children reflects the extent to which national tuberculosis programs fail to curtail recent transmission.•Annually an estimated 7.5 million children become newly infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis and 1 million develop tuberculosis.•In untreated children the case fatality ratio was 22%, currently estimated to range from 2% in Europe and 34% in Africa.•National tuberculosis programs need to strengthen surveillance that comprehensively includes children.