Tuberculosis is a public health problem. In recent years, there is a change in the epidemiological profile of tuberculosis. The diagnosis of tuberculosis is based on clinical and radiological arguments but confirmation is bacteriological and/or histological. Culture remains the gold standard. Technological progress especially in molecular biology provides the clinician now new means of tuberculosis diagnostics. (C) 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.