Epidemiological studies of tuberculosis have become increasingly effective thanks to molecular biology techniques capable of identifying the genomic fingerprints of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) strains. One such technique, RFLP (Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism), has been used for several years to study the modes of transmission of tuberculosis infection in greater detail. Numerous studies have been conducted to further investigate this transmission phenomenon, whether in a region (Ile-de-France), a department (Gironde, Nord, Guadeloupe), an urban community (Brest), or a high-risk setting (hospitals, shelters for the homeless and migrants, or prisons). A workshop was organized on November 16, 2000, in Bordeaux by the Association for the Development of Epidemiology in Aquitaine (ADEA) and the Institute of Public Health, Epidemiology, and Development (ISPED), Victor Segalen University. It brought together 20 experts, including biologists, clinicians, epidemiologists, and tuberculosis control officials. The objective was to synthesize all the information obtained from the various studies conducted in France, in order to guide tuberculosis control strategies and direct future research in this field. (adapted from the text)