News 2026

By analysing data from 25 studies involving more than 11,000 children and adolescents who had entered countries of the European Union, the European Economic Area and the United Kingdom, the researchers found that approximately one in ten children showed evidence of infection with M. tuberculosis. Nearly one in every hundred children had active tuberculosis at the time of screening. The prevalence of TB infection among unaccompanied minors was almost three times higher than among children travelling with their families, underscoring the particular vulnerability of this group.

“These findings show that these children are disproportionately affected by tuberculosis and should be regarded as a priority population for prevention, early diagnosis and treatment. Particular attention must be given to unaccompanied minors,” said first author Dr Anca Vasiliu from the Clinical Infectious Diseases Research Group at the Research Center Borstel.

Approaches to tuberculosis screening for migrant children and adolescents vary considerably between European countries. Some countries rely exclusively on symptom screening, while others use chest radiography or immunological tests. The authors emphasize the urgent need for evidence-based, harmonized recommendations across Europe to ensure that all migrant children arriving in Europe have equitable access to timely diagnosis and preventive treatment.

The study provides the strongest evidence to date on the risk of tuberculosis among children and adolescents with a migration background in Europe. It also forms the scientific basis for an international consensus statement currently being developed by TBnet and ptbnet.

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