Objective The objective of this study was to establish the pattern of tuberculosis incidence in children in Serbia in the period 1992–2006.

Methods A descriptive epidemiologic study was conducted. The source of tuberculosis morbidity data in children 0–14 years in Serbia was the Central TB Registry in Belgrade.

Results In the period 1992–2006 in Serbia 377 children acquired tuberculosis, 174 boys and 203 girls. The average annual incidence rate in the observed period was 1.93/100,000 (95% CI 1.72 to 2.14). The rate in boys was 1.74/100,000 (95% CI 1.42 to 2.0) and in girls 2.14/100,000 (95% CI 1.89 to 2.39). Incidence rates had decreasing tendency (y = 2.125–0.241x, p = 0.3), for both boys (y = 2.0215–0.0354 x, p = 0.3) and girls (y = 2.2376–0.0123 x, p = 0.6) although those decreases were not statistically significant.

Conclusions In spite of favourable epidemiologic patterns of childhood tuberculosis incidences in Serbia there is a need for permanent control of this important pediatric disease, because of unfavourable social and economic conditions after the war in this region, and the increase of tuberculosis incidence rates in adults in the previous few years.