For more than two decades, Kurt Toman’s book Tuberculosis case-finding andchemotherapy: questions and answers has been the most authoritative reference on therational basis of diagnosis and treatment of tuberculosis. Few scientific books last solong, particularly in these times of rapid expansion of knowledge. The book has beenreprinted many times by the World Health Organization (WHO) in English, Spanishand Arabic, and translated and printed by the International Union Against Tubercu-losis and Lung Disease in French and Portuguese. Unfortunately, despite the availability of low-cost and accurate diagnosis as well as nearly 100% curative treatment for more than three decades, tuberculosis remains oneof the leading infectious causes of death globally, killing nearly two million people ayear. Tuberculosis accounts for more than one in four avoidable deaths among adultsin developing countries. The HIV epidemic is making this bad situation even worse.Many countries in Africa have experienced a two- to fourfold rise in the incidence oftuberculosis since the advent of HIV.