User's guide to tuberculosis resources on the Internet

Abstract

The World Wide Web has become a source of information for clinicians and researchers about virtually every aspect of tuberculosis (TB). We provide information about TB-related Internet portal sites. We classify selected TB-related Web pages according to user needs. The questions that we address are as follows: (1) Where can I find scientific information about TB? (2) Where can I find epidemiologic data? (3) Where can I find literature for laypeople? (4) Where can I find recommendations, guidelines, and clinical decision-making algorithms for management of TB? (5) Where can I find research databases? (6) Where can I find research groups? (7) Where can I find resources for research, teaching, and training? (8) Where can I find information about regulatory action? The total number of TB-related Web pages is immense, their scope is vast, and their content is perpetually changing. Nonetheless, the sites identified here provide the reader with a manageable number of entry points to this increasingly important resource.