[Current problems of tuberculosis in the north-wester region of Russia]

Tuberculosis remains a social challenge. There has been a drastic aggravation of the tuberculosis situation since the early 1990s. This has been caused by diminished state infection control, sharply changed human and poor socioeconomic living conditions, the causative agent's resistance and aggressiveness. Unfavourable economic trends are maintained by latent infection sources whose size has increased under the crisis of the system of active tuberculosis detection in the population. This requires the introduction of new treatment modalities which will provide as high as 80-95% final efficiency by abacillation and closure of decay cavities. Tuberculous infection must be daily and actively managed. Today's main goal is to achieve only stabilization and to prevent the disease from its further spread.