The aim of this research project is to improve the diagnosis of tuberculosis (TB) in children

and to potentially advance the detection of drug resistance from one simplified clinical sampling.

The string test proposes a new technique to obtain the same clinical sample which is the gastric

content. The specific objectives of the study are to explore the potential of using a new tool: the

"string test" for the diagnosis of TB in children. Given the difficulties of diagnosing TB in children, one

specific objective of this study is to evaluate the recovery rate of Mycobacterium tuberculosis from

the gastric content by the "string test", as compared to the sputum induction and gastric aspiration,

in children suspected of pulmonary TB. The feasibility and sensitivity of the new string test will be

investigated. The second specific objective will be to explore combining the string test with the

GenoType MTBDRplus and/or GenXpert, for the detection of rifampicin resistance. This research

study could represent a significant step forward to diagnose TB and detect drug resistance in

children. To our knowledge, this has never been evaluated before.