[Current notes on the clinical aspects of tuberculosis]

First a review is given about the situation of tuberculosis in Western Germany in general. The knowledge about tuberculosis is diminishing together with falling numbers of incidence. Half of the general practicians do not see a case of tuberculosis by year. The incidence of bacillary tuberculosis has fallen from 44 per 100 000 in 1960 to 15 to 20 per cent 100 000 in 1980. Diagnosis gets more difficult, differential diagnosis more important. We have to rely quite frequently--besides on bacteriology--on histological diagnosis with all its pitfalls. Military tuberculosis can easily be missed. Figures on bronchoscopy and perbronchial biopsies are given. The relative importance of "mycobacteriosis" other than tuberculosis is growing. The problem of bacterial resistance is unchanged over the last 10 years. Treatment results are good: a conversion rate of more than 98% after 2 years is given by the "Arbeits- und Forschungsgruppe Tuberkulose in Bayern". Patients compliance is not always easily obtained. Tuberculosis is, in spite of its slowly declining slope, one of the most important medical problems in the world. The "Curatorium Tuberculosis in the World" takes care of the problem.