Search

Multiple strains of Mycobacteria cause tuberculosis (TB), a chronic, specific infectious granulomatous disease. It mainly occurs with pulmonary involvement when compared to extrapulmonary involvement. Primary oral occurrence is uncommon and oral lesions are usually secondary to pulmonary involvement. When there are no active pulmonary clinical manifestations of TB, the diagnosis of the very rare entity of primary gingival TB poses a great challenge to clinicians. In this case report, we discuss a case of primary gingival TB in a 24-year-old lactating mother. This article briefs the onset and course of the lesion during pregnancy and postpartum, elaborates the pathway to diagnosis, various investigations performed and the regimen of antitubercular therapy for 6 months, followed by complete resolution of the lesion without recurrence. This report also describes the significance of considering TB as a differential diagnosis in oral lesions and the various diagnostic methods available. It also emphasizes the sole importance of histopathology in the early detection of the lesion and its management.

Background: Extrapulmonary tuberculosis (EPTB) makes for 25% of all instances of tuberculosis (TB) patients. The enigmatic clinical presentation of EPTB makes identification difficult since it simulates other chronic conditions such as neoplastic and inflammatory disorders and could culminate in treatment that is either insufficient or not required. For an affirmative and confirmed diagnosis, a substantial level of suspicion is imperative. The paucibacillary feature of EPTB makes diagnosis extremely difficult and necessitates the use of many diagnostic methods to arrive at a precise diagnosis. In December 2010, the World Health Organization recommended using GeneXpert/cartridge-based nucleic acid amplification test (CBNAAT) for the initial assessment of suspected cases of EPTB. Furthermore, fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC), Ziehl–Neelsen (ZN) stain, and the CBNAAT have to be utilized to exclude other possible origins of granulomatous inflammation. The goal of the current investigation is to comprehend how FNAC and ZN stains relate to CBNAAT and their diagnostic value. Methods: The evaluation included all suspected instances of tubercular lymphadenopathy, and adequate aspirates were obtained from the site of the enlarged cervical lymph nodes. Smears were made following FNAC and stained with ZN stain as well as hematoxylin and eosin stain. Simultaneously, CBNAAT and culture evaluations were conducted on the same aspirates. This cross-sectional study took place at a tertiary care center and encompassed 200 individuals with clinical manifestations of EPTB. Results: There were 200 cases of suspected tubercular lymphadenitis (TBLN). According to the FNAC results, TBLN was detected in 71 (47.6%) of these 200 cases, followed by necrotizing lymphadenitis in 56 (37.5%), chronic caseating granulomatous lymphadenitis in 47 (31.5%), and reactive lymphadenitis in 26 (17.4%). They were correlated with CBNAAT results, which showed that all instances of tuberculous lymphadenitis, 85.71% of cases of necrotizing lymphadenitis, 55.32% of cases of chronic caseating granulomatous lymphadenitis, and 2 (7.69%) cases of reactive lymphadenitis were CBNAAT positive. Conclusion: CBNAAT should be utilized with FNAC and ZN staining to diagnose EPTB. The CBNAAT assay demonstrated a significant advantage in the identification of previously unidentified FNAC patients. Despite being a simple diagnostic tool, FNAC has a lower specificity and significantly lower precision than CBNAAT in correctly identifying cases of EPTB because it exhibits similar cytomorphological characteristics with lesions that are not associated with TB.

Background: Bony infarction or osteonecrosis is a rare, painful condition, reported in the setting of trauma, chronic steroid exposure, radiation, malignancies, and sickle cell anemia, diagnosed radiologically by its characteristic features in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The present case highlights the challenges in the diagnosis and management of an adolescent boy, who presented with medullary infarction of bilateral tibia. Clinical Description: A 15-year-old boy presented with severe pain in bilateral lower limbs, restricting his ability to stand and walk independently. There were no signs of inflammation or restriction of movements at the joints of the lower limb. Routine investigations were largely normal. The MRI of left tibia showed bone infarct in the middle shaft. Further investigations for the known causes of bone infarct were noncontributory. Considering a remote possibility that tuberculous endarteritis may cause such an infarct, tuberculin test was done which was positive. The chest X-ray was normal. Management and Outcome: Therapeutic trial of antitubercular drugs (2HRZE+10HRE) was given. The child showed a significant improvement in leg pain by 2 weeks of the start of therapy. On follow-up, he demonstrated complete resolution of the disease in X-ray and MRI. Conclusion: Tuberculosis endarteritis leading to bony infarction is an extremely rare phenomenon but biologically plausible. By reporting this case, we would like to convey that clinicians may consider bone infarct as a rare cause of unexplained, incapacitating limb pain in children, which, in the absence of known contributory factors, may be due to tuberculosis.

Background: The introduction of Xpert MTB/RIF® has revolutionised the diagnosis of tuberculosis (TB) by reducing time to the identification and detection of drug resistance. Methods: We prospectively studied clinical profile of admitted patients who underwent Xpert MTB/RIF® for the diagnosis of TB in the Department of Medicine and Allied Specialties at our tertiary care teaching hospital in Ludhiana. Results: During the period from January to December 2018, 140 patients (mean age 55.7 ± 16 years; male: female = 1.5:1) were included. Type 2 diabetes mellitus was the most common comorbid disease (n = 37; 26.4%). The most common presenting complaints were fever, breathlessness and cough with expectoration. Overall, 61 admitted patients were discharged with a diagnosis of TB; 26/61 (42.6%) tested Xpert MTB/RIF® positive (bacteriologically confirmed); the remaining 35 (57.4%) were clinically diagnosed along with the ancillary supportive investigations. The remaining 79 patients had a non-TB diagnosis. In extrapulmonary TB, Xpert MTB/RIF® had low detection and positivity rate as compared to other ancillary investigations for TB. Conclusions: Xpert MTB/RIF® was useful in the diagnosis in 42.6% of cases. When Xpert MTB/RIF® was negative, TB was diagnosed empirically on the basis of clinical, radiological and ancillary laboratory investigations. Xpert MTB/RIF® positivity with the clinical background suggesting that TB makes the diagnosis rapidly and with a high degree of confidence.

Background: The most common site of tubercular infection is lungs, but various extrapulmonary sites also can be affected by tuberculosis (TB). Very few fine-needle aspiration-based studies supplemented by cartridge-based nucleic acid amplification test (CBNAAT) and radiology have been conducted in any center of tribal-based area situated in Eastern India. Materials and Methods: Sixty extrapulmonary TB cases (28 males and 32 females) received during 3 years (May 2018–April 2021) were included in this study. Results: Diagnoses of different extrapulmonary tubercular lesions were: lymphadenitis (n = 27), cold abscess (n = 18), breast abscess (n = 2), epididymitis (n = 4), oral cavity (n = 3), spine, long bone (n = 2 cases each) and fingertip and TB of the penis (n = 1 case each). Forty-six cases were diagnosed by fine-needle aspiration cytology. CBNAAT diagnosed ten cases where the result of aspiration cytology was inconclusive. Radiology directly diagnosed four cases, whereas it helped another seven cases indirectly to clinch the proper diagnosis of extrapulmonary tubercular lesions. Conclusion: Tuberculous lymphadenitis was the most common extrapulmonary lesion. Females outnumber male cases. Aspiration cytology aided by CBNAAT and radiology proved indispensable to diagnose extrapulmonary tubercular lesions, especially for economically constrained persons.

Background: Tubercular hydropneumothorax is commonly seen in Indian hospitals. Anti-tuberculosis drugs and intercostal drainage tube (ICD) insertion are the mainstays of treatment. But many patients have to be referred to thoracic surgery for surgical management. This study aims to evaluate the role of serratiopeptidase in successful resolution of tubercular hydropneumothorax and avoidance of thoracic surgery. Methods: We conducted a retrospective observational cohort study on 28 patients that were admitted to extrapulmonary TB ward of our hospital. All patients were given anti-TB drugs according to national guidelines and underwent ICD tube insertion. Out of 28 patients recruited, 19 suffering severe chest pain received serratiopeptidase containing analgesic tablets and nine patients of the control group not having severe chest pain received non-serratiopeptidase containing analgesic tablets. Both groups were compared on the basis of successful ICD tube removal. The results were analysed using Chi-square statistic with Yates correction. Results: Of the 19 patients in the intervention group who received serratiopeptidase, 16 had successful recovery while three had to undergo thoracic surgery. Of the nine patients in the comparison group, only one had a successful recovery while the other eight had to be referred to thoracic surgery with ICD tube in situ. The outcome showed a statistically significant difference between the two groups, in terms of ICD tube removal and avoidance of thoracic surgery, with a P value of < 0.001. Conclusion: We conclude that the addition of serratiopeptidase to anti-tubercular drugs regimen can lead to better clinical outcomes and avoidance of thoracic surgery, in patients of tubercular hydropneumothorax.

Context: The diagnosis and management of ocular tuberculosis (OTB) is largely a mystery, and the fact that it is a great imitator of various ocular pathologies adds to the difficulty in the diagnosis of patients. Aims: The aim of this study was to assess the role of the Mantoux test in the diagnosis of OTB. Settings and Design: This was a retrospective chart review of patients who were diagnosed to have and treated as OTB in 1 year at our tertiary care center in Western India. Methods: The study population included 34 patients who presented to us and were diagnosed to have OTB, using standards published by the Department of Health Research, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, and the Indian Council of Medical Research. Results: A total of 34 patients were diagnosed to have OTB in the study period of 1 year between January 1, 2021, and December 31, 2021. Of these 34 patients; 14 were male and 20 were female. The Mantoux test had been done in 32/34 patients. It was positive in 26 patients and negative in six patients. Looking specifically at the six patients in whom the Mantoux was negative, apart from having ocular signs of tuberculosis (TB), they had positive findings suggestive of old/active TB on contrast-enhanced chest computed tomography scan. Of the 34 patients, only five patients were treated based only on the clinical signs of OTB with only a positive Mantoux test, but even they all showed a response to treatment. Conclusions: There is a definite role of the Mantoux test when interpreted considering the clinical phenotype and radiology findings in OTB.

Objective: To find out the prevalence of active pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) amongst patients of tubercular pleural effusion and to find out any direct association between tubercular pleural effusion and active pulmonary TB. Methods: This was an observational study conducted in eastern India amongst patients of tubercular pleural effusion. Laboratory and radiological investigations were done for all of the patients. Patients with microbiological/radiological evidence of active pulmonary TB were classified as having primary disease. Rest of the patients were classified as having reactivated disease. Results: A total of 50 patients were recruited in this study. Only 4 patients (8%) had radiological/microbiological evidence of active parenchymal TB. There was no difference in terms of demographic and laboratory features between patients with primary and reactivated disease. Conclusion: Active pulmonary TB was found amongst a minority (4%) of cases of tubercular pleural effusion with reactivation of the past or, latent TB infection being responsible for the majority of the cases.

A 38-year-old male was diagnosed with aortoiliac aneurysm while evaluating for new-onset hypertension. On further workup, the cause was identified as tubercular aortoiliac aneurysm. His aneurysm had stormy course and disseminated further while ongoing antitubercular therapy with multiple episodes of aneurysmal rupture and endovascular interventions. Management of this case was complicated with several other rarer entities, such as haemophagocytosis and thrombotic microangiopathy with disseminated intravascular coagulation resistant to steroids and plasmapheresis, within a span of few weeks. Moreover, first-line antitubercular therapy had to be regularly modified in view of emerging complications. While case reports for each individual entity exists in literature, this is the first case to the best of our knowledge where such varied complications were present in a patient of tubercular mycotic aneurysm.

India bears a significant proportion of tuberculosis cases, accounting for approximately 28% of the global burden. Among the reported global cases, around 16% constitute extrapulmonary tuberculosis (EPTB). EPTB diagnosis and treatment are usually challenging. The diagnosis frequently requires the application of contemporary methods, such as acquiring extrapulmonary samples and utilizing advanced diagnostic tools that involve immunological and molecular techniques. Here, we present a case of an elderly male who presented with constitutional symptoms and severe anemia which was refractory to standard hematinic and transfusion therapy. The patient was diagnosed to be a case of abdominal tuberculosis and improved with antitubercular therapy.

Tubercular tenosynovitis of the wrist with carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is a rare occurrence. The authors present a case of tubercular flexor tenosynovitis of the wrist with CTS. A 60-year-old female presented with complaints of swelling in the volar aspect of the right wrist with numbness of the first three fingers for the past 6 months. Clinical and radiological diagnosis of chronic flexor tenosynovitis with median nerve compression neuropathy was made. The patient was operated with carpal tunnel release and total tenosynovectomy. Histopathology showed features suggestive of Koch's etiology. The patient was started with antitubercular therapy (ATT) and followed up regularly. Carpal tunnel symptoms subsided immediately after surgery and there was no recurrence of swelling at the last follow-up. Carpal tunnel release and tenosynovectomy should be performed at the earliest possible and followed up with ATT for better outcomes in tubercular tenosynovitis of the wrist with CTS.

Background: Hysterosalpingography (HSG) is radiographic evaluation of uterine cavity and tubal patency. Aims: The aim of this study was to evaluate the safety and utilisation of HSG in female genital tuberculosis (FGTB) with infertility. Settings and Design: The study was conducted in a tertiary referral centre of North India. Materials and Methods: It was a prospective study on 87 cases of FGTB with infertility. Diagnosis of FGTB was made by composite reference standard using the presence of acid-fast bacilli on microscopy/culture or positive GeneXpert, positive polymerase chain reaction or epithelioid granuloma on endometrial biopsy or definitive or probable findings on laparoscopy or hysteroscopy. Statistical Analysis Used: Suitable statistical methods were used with STATA software version 12.0. Results: HSG findings were normal in 49 (56.32%) cases. There were filling defects in 14 (16.09%), short and shrunken cavity in 4 (4.49%), intrauterine synechiae in 14 (16.09%), T-shaped cavity in 3 (3.44%) and deformed uterine cavity in 5 (5.74%) cases. Fallopian tube findings were hydrosalpinx in 12 (13.79%) and 11 (12.64%) cases, beading of tube in 4 (4.59%) and 2 (2.29%) cases, pipestem appearance in 2 (2.29%) cases each and Maltese cross appearance in 3 (3.44%) and 2 (2.29%) cases, respectively. Tubal blockage was seen in 69 (79.31%) and 67 (77.01%) cases being cornual block in 28 (32.18%) and 26 (29.88%) cases, mid-tubal block in 16 (18.39%) and 15 (17.24%) cases, multiple blocks in 10 (11.49%) and 12 (13.79%) cases and fimbrial block in 15 (17.24%) and 14 (16.09%) cases. None of the cases had flare-up of the disease after HSG in the current study. Conclusion: HSG is a useful modality in FGTB with infertility.

Background: Tuberculosis (TB) is a major health concern globally. Extrapulmonary tuberculosis (EPTB) accounts for around 20% of the total (EPTB) cases which are difficult to diagnose due to the lack of availability of diagnostic tools. Although pulmonary TB is most common presentation, EPTB is also an important problem clinically. Cartridge-based nucleic acid amplification (CBNAAT) test has a well-documented role in diagnosing pulmonary tuberculosis. The potency of CBNAAT in the diagnosis of EPTB cases is still debated. Aim: To establish the importance and role of diagnosing EPTB by CBNAAT. Settings: Conducted in Dr. D Y Patil Medical College Hospital and Research Centre, Dr. D Y Patil Vidyapeeth, Pimpri, Pune-411018. Design: Retrospective cross-sectional study of suspected EPTB patients in a tertiary care center area from April 2020 to September 2020. Materials and Methods: Data of suspected EPTB patients were retrieved. Potency of CBNAAT in diagnosing EPTB was assessed. Statistical Analysis: All the statistical analyses were carried out using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20. Results: Samples collected from 556 suspected EPTB patients were subjected to CBNAAT. The collected samples included pus, pleural fluid, cerebrospinal fluid, gastric aspirate, peritoneal fluid, tissue biopsy, pericardial fluid, ascitic fluid, synovial fluid, drain fluid, para-spinal fluid. In CBNAAT results, 67 cases were positive for TB bacilli, rifampicin resistance detected in 4 samples. Conclusion: Xpert®MTB/RIF assay is a rapid and effective method for early detection of EPTB and can be used in conjunction with routine culture methods for detection of the same.

Objectives: Tuberculosis (TB) of lymph node (TB lymphadenitis) is one of the most common forms of extrapulmonary TB (EPTB) whose diagnosis is critically challenging. Although new diagnostic methods have been developed, especially in patients without a history of TB, the cervical tuberculous lymphadenitis diagnosis is still elusive. This study assessed the applicability of GeneXpert in early diagnosis of EPTB, especially cervical lymphadenopathy. Materials and Methods: The study was conducted in a tertiary care hospital from January 2018 to December 2020 at the department of microbiology. All the samples of cervical lymph node tissue and lymph node aspirate were followed as per the routine protocol for mycobacterial identification. The sample was divided into two parts: one was used for the new molecular-based GeneXpert MTB/RIF assay and the second one was tested by direct and concentrated acid-fast bacilli microscopy by Z-N staining and culture for the detection of MTB. Results: Among the 145 samples tested, the GeneXpert detected the DNA of MTB in 89 samples (61.37%), whereas the culture test was positive in 42 (28.93%) specimens. GeneXpert also detected 7 rifampicin resistance cases. GeneXpert sensitivity and specificity results were assessed according to culture results. The sensitivity and specificity of the GeneXpert assay were 85.71% and 48.54%, respectively. Conclusion: GeneXpert MTB/RIF should be used in conjunction with clinical presentation and other molecular investigation in nonrespiratory specimens.

Background: Extrapulmonary tuberculosis represents about 14% of all cases of tuberculosis (TB) in Malaysia. The aim of the study includes the evaluation of sociodemographic factors, clinical manifestations, comorbidities among patients with tuberculous lymphadenitis and their treatment outcomes. Methods: The retrospective study was conducted from 2006 to 2008. Data on sociodemographic along with histopathological results were collected. The signs and symptoms were also recorded from TB registers, treatment cards, and TB medical personal files using the standard data collection tool. Among multiple variables, the significant factors identified by univariate analysis were included in the multivariate logistic regression to estimate the odds ratios with the 95% confidence intervals. The statistically significant P value was considered 10 in 280 (45.9%) patients. Therefore, among 280, there were 115 (41.1%) patients were found to have unsuccessful treatment showing very strong association with P < 0.001. Conclusion: The finding signifies that effect of weight loss on poor treatment outcomes' and active screening measures for patients with comorbidities are therefore recommended in patients with tuberculous lymphadenitis along with improvements in the diagnosis and early management of comorbidities complications. As young age group was found to have poor or unsuccessful treatment outcomes and required aggressive strategy together with educating patients can further increase the treatment success rate.

Background: Extrapulmonary tuberculosis (EPTB) is still a major health problem in developing countries. Diagnosis of EPTB is difficult due to paucity of acid-fast bacilli in clinical specimens. Objectives: To study the diagnostic role of cartridge-based nucleic acid amplification test (CBNAAT) and rifampicin resistance in EPTB on fine-needle aspiration samples. Materials and Methods: It is a prospective study comprising 79 patients of clinically suspected EPTB cases for 1 year duration. All patients underwent fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) with Ziehl–Neelsen (ZN) staining followed by CBNAAT for confirmation of tuberculosis (TB) and to detect rifampicin resistance. Data have been collected and analyzed regarding sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of FNAC in comparison with CBNAAT. Results: Out of 79 patients, 47 (59.49%) patients were male and cervical lymph node was the most common site of aspiration (42, 52.16%). Granuloma with necrosis (38, 48.10%) followed by necrosis only (14, 17.72%) were the common findings on FNAC. Out of 79 suspected EPTB patients, CBNAAT confirmed 62 patients as having TB. Specificity of FNAC with ZN staining was 100.0%; however, sensitivity was low (43.55%) compared to CBNAAT. Only three cases were detected as rifampicin resistant. Conclusion: Compared to FNAC, CBNAAT has very good sensitivity and specificity in the diagnosis of EPTB. It has also as added advantage of detecting rifampicin resistance at the same time. CBNAAT should be used for diagnosis of EPTB wherever the facility is available.

Background: Despite being given the best by the health department to eradicate the disease, an alarming rise of tuberculosis (TB) remains a significant public health concern in India. Recently, highly variable clinical manifestations of TB have been reported. This study highlights the unusual presentations of TB with a comprehensive overview of epidemiology, demography and risk factors in the expended clinical spectrum of TB patients and their outcomes. Methods: It is a retrospective study using the records of 503 TB patients of all age groups of either sex from July 2017 to January 2021 at two tertiary care hospitals in North India. Results: Out of 503 cases, pulmonary, extrapulmonary, and disseminated TB were 77.7%, 19.5%, and 2.8%, respectively. Among all TB cases, 36 (7.2%) had uncommon manifestations, including the most common was pyrexia of unknown origin in 12 (33.3%) cases and liver abscess in 5 (13.9%) cases, followed by pancytopenia in 4 (11.1%) cases and chyluria in 3 (8.3%) cases. Atypical skin nodules and multiple swellings were also noted in three (8.3%) cases. Male sex (58%) and rural area (66.7%) were dominant in TB with uncommon manifestation (TBU) cases. The mean age in TBU cases was 46.92 years, whereas 34.26 years in all TB cases. It was extremely significant. The statistically significant risk factors in the TBU case were low socioeconomic status (24, 66.7%), inadequate nutrition (11, 30.6%), and smoking (19, 52.8%). Conclusions: Early recognition of uncommon presentations is imperative to respond better.

Background and Objectives: Genital tuberculosis (TB) is an important cause of infertility in women that poses many challenges in diagnosis. The study is done to understand the utility of GeneXpert test in peritoneal fluid in the diagnosis of genital TB in infertile women. Methods: All infertile women in postmenstrual phase who were planned for laparoscopy in study period were included. Women who were already on anti-TB therapy were excluded. Peritoneal fluid/washings were retrieved during laparoscopy to test for Mycobacterium tuberculosis by GeneXpert. A note was made of laparoscopy evidence of TB. Endometrial sample was sent for microbiological testing of mycobacterium on smear and liquid culture. Histopathological test of endometrium was also done to look for granulomas. Results: In a total of 57 women, 8 (14.03%) women were diagnosed with TB on the basis of laparoscopy or microbiological or histopathological tests. Six women had caseating tubercles in pelvis, of them two women had presence of mycobacterium on smear, one woman also had positive liquid culture. In two women endometrial smear was positive. None of the women had a positive GeneXpert test in peritoneal fluid. Conclusion: Genital TB is a clinical problem in infertile women. Even in women with confirmed genital TB the peritoneal fluid/washings were negative for mycobacterium. GeneXpert did not pick Mycobacterium in peritoneal fluid in women with genital TB. Hence, it is not a sensitive and good tool for the diagnosis of female genital TB.

Tubercular spinal epidural abscess without osseous involvement is an extremely rare presentation of spinal tuberculosis. We report a case of perianal Crohn’s disease, who developed a tubercular epidural abscess in lumbosacral spine without osseous involvement, secondary to infliximab administration, despite being on 6 months of antituberculous therapy for perianal tuberculosis even as the primary focus healed well. This is probably the first case of infliximab-related tubercular spinal epidural abscess without osseous involvement. A combination of surgical treatment and antitubercular therapy gives a good outcome. This case highlights the rare and atypical nature of presentation of spinal tuberculosis in this scenario and emphasizes the importance of vigilant follow-up to prevent delayed diagnosis, due to atypical presentations following anti-tumor necrosis factor therapy.

Background: Tubercular lymphadenitis (TBLN) remains the most frequent manifestation for extrapulmonary TB despite advancements in diagnostics and management over the years. Our study intends to explore five-year trend of TBLN in a tertiary care centre from south India, and aims to study clinico-demographic and diagnostic factors in the management of TBLN. Methods: All the adult patients (≥18 years) diagnosed and confirmed for TB lymphadenitis between January 2015 to December 2019 were retrospectively evaluated. Demographic factors, clinical manifestations, and different diagnostic approaches used in the management of TBLN were analysed using SPSS ver. 16. Results: A total of 164 patients with confirmed TBLN were included. Patients aged 18-45 years were the most affected (63.41%) with female dominancy. The most affected lymph nodes were cervical lymph nodes (84.1%) presenting with single palpable enlarged lymph node (80.5%). Majority (78.7%) of the lymph nodes were non-matted and 68.9% of enlarged lymph nodes were >3cm size. Excisional biopsy was performed for the majority of the patients 99 (60.4%) and 60.4% of the cases were managed with a combination of surgical excision and anti-tubercular treatment (ATT). Conclusions: The declining trend of TBLN observed in this study highlights the outcome of good public health policies; however, young females and high-risk groups like HIV infected or AIDS (affected more in the study) demand further attention. Overall, the advanced diagnostic tools along with surgical management and ATT can lead us to earlier diagnosis and successful treatment outcomes

Tuberculosis (TB) once considered a disease of the developing world is infrequent in the developing world too. Its worldwide prevalence with a huge impact on the healthcare system both in economic and health terms has prompted the World Health Organization to make it a top priority infectious disease. Tuberculous infection of the pulmonary system is the most common form of this disease, however, extrapulmonary TB is being increasingly recognized and more often seen in immunocompromised situations. Gastrointestinal TB is a leading extrapulmonary TB manifestation that can defy diagnosis. Overlap of symptoms with other gastrointestinal diseases and limited accuracy of diagnostic tests demands more awareness of this disease. Untreated gastrointestinal TB can cause significant morbidity leading to prolonged hospitalization and surgery. Prompt diagnosis with early initiation of therapy can avoid this. This timely review discusses the epidemiology, risk factors, pathogenesis, clinical presentation, current diagnostic tools and therapy.

Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious granulomatous disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosum which typically compromises the lungs, but can also affect other organs (extrapulmonary TB). In the Americas, the extrapulmonary form represents 15% of newly diagnosed cases, matching the global incidence. An adverse genetic background aided by the immunosupression state of these patients increases the risk of presenting the extrapulmonary form involving the lymph glands, pleura, genitourinary tract, bones and joints, meninges, bowel, pericardium, and the skin in order of their frequencies. As such, osteoarticular TB represents only 1–3% of extrapulmonary cases globally. In Peru, extrapulmonary TB represents 17.6% of newly diagnosed cases. The most affected age group comprises people between 20 and 59 years of age (65.45% of diagnoses). In the developing world, infectious diseases (particularly TB) are one of the main causes of morbimortality in systemic lupus erythematosus patients. The authors report the case of a 21-year-old female patient with an systemic lupus erythematosus background who had swelling in her left hand for 6 months prior to admission in which the diagnosis was suspected after histological study.

Context: Extrapulmonary tuberculosis (EPTB) especially abdominal lymph nodal tuberculosis (LNTB) poses a unique diagnostic challenge. The clinical, cytological, and microbiological profiles, especially with respect to the use and role of Auramine –O (AO) stain, are not as well characterized in abdominal LNTB as cervical LNTB and were evaluated in the present comparative study. Subjects and Methods: This study was conducted in the Department of Pathology of a tertiary care hospital in Shillong, Meghalaya in 540 clinical suspected cases of tuberculosis who underwent FNAC. The smears were submitted for Leishman's stain for cytological analysis, along with ZN and Auramine O stain for demonstration of the organism, analyzed, and scored and the results were compared with culture wherever available. The results from abdominal and cervical lymph nodal tuberculosis were compared using Microsoft Excel and SPSS software. Results: Out of 540 cases, most were tuberculosis (266) followed by reactive lymphadenitis (162), malignancy, and acute necrotizing lesion. On comparing, abdominal lymph nodes (n = 163) were more likely to reveal cheesy/purulent material macroscopically, necrotizing lymphadenitis along with ZN stain and Auramine positivity (P < 0.05) while cervical lymph nodes (n = 66) revealed a higher proportion of granulomatous lymphadenitis and culture positivity (P < 0.05). The sensitivity, NPV, and diagnostic accuracy of AO stain (85.9%, 48.0%, and 62.3%) were higher as compared to ZN stain (47.4%, 39.3%, and 51.9%) with culture as the gold standard. The combined sensitivity of Ziehl Neelsen stain and Auramine stain was 92.05%. Conclusion: Cytological and microbiologic features of abdominal LNTB differ from cervical LNTB. Moreover, AO stain increases the smear positivity, is almost twice as sensitive as ZN stain and should be used as an adjunct in cytological material wherever available.

Background: Extra-pulmonary TB(EPTB) accounts for 15-20% of total TB cases in India. Many cases remain undiagnosed due to poor sensitivity/long turn-around-time of conventional diagnostic tests. Molecular tests offer rapidity, improved sensitivity and exquisite specificity, but are expensive, require skilled manpower and enhanced laboratory infrastructure. Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay is a unique, temperature-independent DNA amplification test facilitated by visual optic-readout. WHO has recommended use of LAMP for pulmonary TB diagnosis in 2016. For END-TB strategy to succeed, its necessary to capture all forms of TB. The aim of the study was to determine the sensitivity and specificity of LAMP assay against culture, Xpert MTB/RIF assay and Composite Reference Standard(CRS) for diagnosis of EPTB. Methods: In a cross-sectional study hundred consecutive EPTB specimens were processed for microscopy, culture, Xpert and LAMP assay. Standard formulae of sensitivity and specificity and McNemar chi square test of significance was applied. Results: Hundred specimens included in the study were fluids(65), pus(19) and tissue(16). TB was detected in 38 specimens by any of the four methods. Positivity of microscopy-5%, culture-28%, Xpert-25% and LAMP-32%. Sensitivity and specificity of LAMP against culture was 85.71% and 88.89%; against Xpert was 88% and 86.67%; against CRS was 80% and 88.6% respectively. LAMP detected TB in 32 patients of which 28 were put on anti-TB treatment (ATT). Of the 62 patients with negative results in all the tests, 22 were put on ATT. Conclusions: LAMP has good sensitivity for EPTB diagnosis. Further studies are required to establish utility of LAMP as EPTB diagnostic tool.

Introduction: Tuberculosis (TB) is the leading killer and the commonest opportunistic infection (OI) in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infected individuals with 0.3 million deaths in 2017. When HIV and TB co-infection occurs, they form a deadly combination with each accelerating the progression of the other, resulting in increased morbidity and mortality. Aim and Objectives: To study the demographic pattern, clinical presentation, opportunistic infections, radiological and laboratory profile, management, and outcome of HIV-TB coinfected individuals. Materials and Methods: A prospective cross-sectional study was carried out on confirmed HIV cases already diagnosed with TB and those newly detected with TB after admission, where diagnosis was carried out following standard operative procedures. Results: In our study of 58 HIV-TB co-infected individuals, 40–50 years was the most common age group affected. Males were affected more with majority being married. The most common presentation was fever (67%) followed by gastrointestinal symptoms. Majority of TB cases were newly diagnosed (65.5%), with predominance of pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) (n = 35) followed by those having only extrapulmonary tuberculosis (EPTB) (n = 12) and both (n = 11). TB was diagnosed by microscopy in 32.7%, while radiologically, chest X-ray was most common (36.2%). Also, 50% were infected with other OIs where oral candidiasis was the most common (37.93%). The overall mean CD4 count was 220 cells/μL and those with EPTB had lesser CD4 counts than those with PTB. All were on DOTS regimen and majority showed improvement. Conclusion: In a country like India where both these diseases are rampant, we recommend better information, education, understanding and awareness for prevention, care, early diagnosis, and treatment of these two notorious infectious diseases with prevention of relapse and default of TB cases in HIV-TB co-infected individuals a priority.

Background: This study aimed at highlighting some demographic and clinical features of tuberculosis (TB) at Leon Bernard TB unit, Algeria. Methods: This was a retrospective and descriptive study based on TB data extracted from TB patient records during 2009–2019 at Leon Bernard TB unit. Results: Of the total 1375 TB patients, 602 (43.8%) had extrapulmonary TB (EPTB), 482 (35.1%) had new sputum smear-positive pulmonary TB (PTB), 42 (3.1%) had sputum smear-negative with culture-positive PTB, and 97 (7%) EPTB patients had concomitant pulmonary involvement. The male-to-female ratio was 1.07. A total of 116 (8.4%) TB relapses were reported with predominance among ETPB cases (54.3%). Lymphadenitis TB was the most common manifestation of EPTB with 301 cases (39.6%), followed by pleural TB with 237 cases (31.2%). The number of bacteriologically not confirmed EPTB was 22.6% more than half (53.3%) of whom were pleural TB. Among patients with new sputum smear-positive PTB, 71.2% were males, whereas the reverse was observed among patients with EPTB where 62.3% were female. Two-third of recorded cases were between 15 and 45 years old. Nearly all children had EPTB (64/69). The results revealed that most of the patients who passed away were affected by PTB (15/18), and the most frequent cmorbidities were diabetes (9/18) and high blood pressure (6/18). Conclusion: Specific attention needs to be given to an examination of the risk factors of PTB among male population and of EPTB among female population and children and to diagnosis of pleural TB and primary PTB.

Background Tuberculosis (TB) represents one of the major challenges to global health. TB is usually classified based on the disease symptoms and the site of infection. Two types of clinical manifestation of TB are pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) and extrapulmonary tuberculosis (EPTB). Objective This study aimed at determining Mycobacterium tuberculosis and multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) burden among presumptive EPTB cases and associated risk factors at Dessie Referral Hospital, North West Ethiopia. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted from February to April, 2018. A total of 337 presumptive EPTB cases in Dessie Referral Hospital were included using convenient sampling. Data were collected using a prestructured questionnaire. Body fluid specimens were collected and processed. Cytology, GeneXpert, and GenoType MTBDR plus Line Probe Assays were used for the detection of MTB and MDR-TB. Data were entered and cleared by Epi data version 3.1 and analyzed using SPSS, version 21. Multivariate analysis was done. P value less than 0.05 at 95% confidence interval was considered as statistically significant. Results The overall prevalence of EBTB using GeneXpert and cytopathological technique was 23.4, 27.3%, respectively. TB lymphadenitis (48 and 53.3%, respectively) was the dominant type followed by pleural (27 and 25%, respectively) and peritoneal (24% and 21.7%, respectively) by GeneXpert and cytology. The prevalence of MDR-TB was one (1.3%). Previous history of PTB (P

Background: Understanding the current surveillance activity and the challenges is important to ensure a continuous success toward the elimination goal for tuberculosis (TB). South Batinah Governorate (SBG) ranked the fourth on the top reporting governorates in the period 2010–2016 in Oman. The objective of this study is to describe the epidemiological profile and activities of the surveillance program of TB in the SBG in the years 2017 and 2018. Methods: A retrospective quantitative analysis and a qualitative review were performed to the surveillance data present in the department of disease surveillance and control in the SBG in the years 2017 and 2018. Results: A total of 39 pulmonary TB (PTB) and 21 extrapulmonary TB (EPTB) cases were diagnosed in 2017 and 2018. More Omanis (22, 56.4%) were diagnosed with PTB compared to non-Omanis; however, the EPTB was solely diagnosed among Omanis (P < 0.001). Majority of the TB patients (35%) were between 30 and 49 years. More than 50% of the TB cases of both the types were diagnosed in

Background Despite being one of the most ancient diseases, tuberculosis (TB) is still a major health problem globally. It is one of the most important causes of death worldwide. GeneXpert MTB/RIF assay is a fast nucleic acid amplification test used for detection of TB as well as identification of rifampicin resistance. Design This was a cross-sectional study. Setting The study was conducted at Fayoum Chest Hospital, Egypt, between December 2017 and December 2018. Objectives To evaluate GeneXpert MTB/RIF in detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in Fayoum Chest Hospital. Patients and methods One hundred participants were enrolled in this study with clinical or radiological susceptibility of pulmonary or extrapulmonary TB. All patients underwent the following: full history taking, clinical examination, plain chest radiography, examination of specimen by Ziehl–Neelsen stain, cultivation on Lowenstein–Jensen media, and processed in GeneXpert MTB/RIF. Results GeneXpert assay is a good, fast, noninvasive, and accurate diagnostic tool for detection of M. tuberculosis, showing sensitivity of 100.0%, specificity of 85.0%, positive predictive value of 96.4%, negative predictive value of 100%, and accuracy of 97%. On the contrary, Ziehl–Neelsen had sensitivity of 83.75%, specificity of 100%, positive predictive value of 100%, and negative predictive value of 60.61%. Conclusion GeneXpert is a fast, accurate, and promising technique with good sensitivity and specificity, but it cannot be used alone as a diagnostic tool for TB.

To achieve the World Health Organization end TB Strategy, early detection, and prompt treatment of not only pulmonary but also extrapulmonary tuberculosis (EPTB) should be achieved. The most common EPTB is tuberculous lymphadenitis, and the diagnosis is typically time-consuming. This review aimed to identify the best diagnostic pathway for preventing treatment delay and thus further complications. A systematic keyword search was done using four databases and other relevant publications and using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses flowchart to search for relevant articles that met the inclusion criteria. The quality of the articles was assessed using Newcastle–Ottawa Scale, and the articles were summarized based on the test for diagnosing tuberculous lymphadenitis. A total of ten articles were included for the synthesis of results, which compared the sensitivity and specificity of each diagnostic test for tuberculous lymphadenitis. The most promising test is the Xpert Mycobacterium tuberculosis/RIF, which has high sensitivity and specificity, but costs much more in comparison to the other tests. An ideal diagnostic method should include the combination of relevant patient history, clinical examination, and laboratory and radiological testing to avoid delays in treatment, misdiagnosis, and further complications.

Background: The treatment of drug-resistant tuberculosis (TB) involves various regimens. Among them, the most promising antibiotic regimens are fluoroquinolone (FQ) drugs. Drug susceptibility testing (DST) for FQs is not included as routine assessment for baseline TB diagnosis. Limited resources are available about FQ resistance among extrapulmonary TB (EPTB) cases. Methods: A total of 447 culture-positive specimens were subjected to DST for first-line anti-TB drugs (FLDs) and second-line anti-TB drugs. DST was performed using automated mycobacterium growth indicator tube-960 liquid culture techniques. The study was carried out during the period of April 2016 to March 2017. In addition, DST of FQs was also performed in FLD-sensitive strains. Results: Mycobacterium tuberculosis was isolated from 447 specimens. Of the 447 culture-positive EPTB specimens, 54 were rifampicin-resistant (RR)/multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) isolates, 45 isolates were resistant to any drug, and the remaining 348 were sensitive to FLDs. Monoresistance of FQs was observed in 20.4% (11/54) among RR/MDR-TB isolates and 4.3% (15/348) among FLD-sensitive isolates. Conclusion: The high degree of FQ resistance observed in EPTB specimens among drug-sensitive and MDR-TB isolates is alarming. This study reflects the need to expand culture and DST for EPTB cases and include FQs within first-line DST in such settings. Furthermore, there should be a rational use of FQs for the treatment of other diseases.

Background: Epistaxis is common in children. Almost 60% experience at least one episode by 10 years of age. Most are benign and self-resolving. Episodes that are severe, frequent, take longer to resolve, or unilateral should be investigated. Although extrapulmonary tuberculosis (TB) is common in children, presentation as a sinonasal mass is rare. Clinical Description: A 4-year-old girl presented with a history of recurrent, left-sided epistaxis for 2 months, with diffuse ipsilateral facial swelling for 2 weeks. There was a history of preceding oral swelling and weight loss. Nasal endoscopy revealed a friable left nasal mass. Imaging delineated an infiltrative, highly cellular lesion in the left maxillary sinus, infiltrating surrounding bone and extending into the left nasal cavity, jaw, and orbital floor. Management: Endoscopic biopsy was suggestive of noncaseating granulomatous lesion. Langerhans cell histiocytosis, granulomatosis with polyangiitis and microscopic polyangiitis, and malignancy were ruled out. Nucleic acid amplification tests and culture established microbiological diagnosis of primary sinonasal TB. Initiation of antitubercular therapy led to complete recovery. Conclusion: The diagnosis of sinonasal TB is challenging and requires multidisciplinary collaboration. Its rarity and nonspecific presentation requires a high index of suspicion by the treating team. Clinical, histopathological, and microbiological criteria should be used to establish a diagnosis. Primary sinonasal TB is a rare entity in young immunocompetent children.

Symphysis pubis tuberculosis (TB) is extremely rare in the reported literature. The diagnosis of pelvic TB is confounded by close differentials such as osteomyelitis as well as the low yield of TB bacilli in microbiological sampling in the initial stages of the disease. Pelvic TB should be suspected early on in areas with high TB burden, and prompt treatment with antitubercular treatment may help prevent disability associated with the disease. Here, we present a 49-year-old diabetic man with pubic symphysis TB which was diagnosed on the basis of clinical and radiological aspects, with near-total resolution following 9 months of anti-tubercular treatment.

A 53-year-old female was admitted with ascites for 3 weeks, decreased response, and weakness of right upper and lower limbs for 1 day. Peritoneal biopsy showed necrotizing granulomatous inflammation, and cartridge-based nucleic acid amplification test for tuberculosis (TB) of biopsy was positive without rifampicin resistance. Magnetic resonance imaging brain showed multiple foci of diffusion restriction in bilateral cerebral hemisphere and cerebellum, suggestive of acute infarcts. After ruling out the secondary causes of cerebral infarction by appropriate tests and demonstrating that there was no evidence for tuberculous meningitis or direct injury, it was concluded that the reason for multiple cerebral infarctions in this patient is likely to be immunologic injury secondary to TB. Multiple cerebral infarctions secondary to immunologic injury in TB were reported only once previously.

Tuberculous tenosynovitis, formerly known as compound palmar ganglion, is a rare condition that presents usually as chronic painless swelling, tenosynovitis, and sometimes with compressive neuropathy. Approximately 10% of all extrapulmonary manifestations of tuberculosis involve the musculoskeletal system and among them, involvement of the wrist and hand is a very rare condition. It is really important to manage this condition before it spreads to the underlying bones causing osteomyelitis and destruction. Here, we are going to report two cases both presenting with a painless swelling and restriction of movement of their wrists for more than 6 months. In physical examination, one of the patients had also numbness over median nerve territory. After imaging, biopsies, cultures, and histopathological examinations, wrist swelling was considered as tuberculous tenosynovitis and appropriate anti-tuberculosis treatment was started.

Intestinal intussusception in adults is not considered to be common. Clinical presentations may range from an acute presentation to a chronic one and such wide variations make it challenging to establish the diagnosis on time. Adult intussusceptions usually have an identifiable pathological lead point: commonly a polyp, submucosal lipoma, or other tumors. Our patient, a 42-year-old male, presented to us with features of acute intestinal obstruction. He underwent an emergency laparotomy when intussusception of the ileum was noted; the involved bowel segment was resected. Histopathology showed that the lead point was due to tuberculous lesion. Further investigations showed that the patient had pulmonary tuberculosis (TB), which was not identified till then. The patient was started on antituberculous treatment thereafter and the patient recovered well. We intend to present this case to sensitize the readers to the unusual presentation of intestinal TB as intussusception which should be considered especially in countries with high TB endemicity.

Tuberculosis (TB) is an infection that can affect any organ, affecting mainly the lungs. Isolated testicular TB is very rare. Six months of a multiple drug scheme is the mainstay of TB treatment. Adverse reaction to anti-TB chemotherapy is frequent and affects the course of the therapy, leading sometimes to discontinuation of drugs. Ethambutol optic nerve toxicity is frequent. However, severe cutaneous and anaphylactic reactions associated to ethambutol are very rare. We present the case of an immunocompetent patient presenting with isolated testicular TB that exhibited a severe cutaneous and anaphylactic reaction to ethambutol during the consolidation treatment phase. This led to exhaustive etiologic study and treatment modification.

Objective Identifying the factors responsible for the delay in the diagnosis of tuberculosis (TB). Patients and methods In this retrospective study, data on pulmonary and extrapulmonary forms of TB, registered for the treatment at the directly observed treatment, short course, centre were analysed. Results Of 163 patients, 34 (20.86%) were diagnosed at the first visit. The delay in seeking medical care ranged from 0 to 25 days from the diagnosis. A total of 110 (67%) patients started on the same day or the day after diagnosis, less than 1 month in 33 (20.25%) and 1–3 months in 83 (51%). Delay from patient and health services (both combined) ranged from half a month to 48 months; the mean±SD diagnostic delay was 4.09±4.19 days (range: 0–24 days), whereas the mean±SD treatment delay (n=162) was 2.19±3.89 days. of the 124 patients who received medical help, 90% of them did so within six months of onset of Symptoms. There was a statistically significant difference in patients’ delay in receiving the treatment/medical care by sex. Mean±SD delay for pulmonary and extrapulmonary TB was 48±24 and 240±386 days, respectively. Conclusion Delay in diagnosis is a preventable factor. Patient delay is longer compared with healthcare delays. Active surveillance, even in the urban areas by healthworkers, may help in reducing this delay.

Background: The objective of this study is to assess the performance of Xpert Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB)/rifampin (RIF), an automated molecular test for MTB and resistance to RIF, against smear microscopy and culture method for the diagnosis of MTB infection. Methods: This is a retrospective analysis of 168 nonrespiratory patient specimens suspected of tuberculosis (TB) at TB Laboratory of Dubai Health Authority in the United Arab Emirates between September 2016 and November 2018. Each sample underwent smear microscopy, mycobacterial culture, and GeneXpert MTB/RIF test. Results: Of 168 nonrespiratory samples, 52 samples were positive by both culture and Xpert MTB/RIF, 9 samples were detected positive only by culture. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative value of the Xpert MTB/RIF test were 82.69%, 100%, 100%, and 92.80%, respectively. No false positive was yielded by the Xpert MTB/RIF, and all 116 samples were true negative by Xpert MTB/RIF. The sensitivity of the Xpert MTB/RIF was 76.92% in lymph node tissue and aspirates, 66.67% in cerebrospinal fluid, 100% in gastric lavage and aspirate, 81.25% in other body fluids, 100% in pus, 85.71% in urine, and 66.67% in other tissue samples. Of 168 strains, five strains were rifampicin resistant by phenotypic and Xpert MTB/RIF and 163 were susceptible to rifampicin with culture and Xpert MTB/RIF. Conclusion: The performance of Xpert MTB/RIF assay was comparable to the gold standard culture method for identification of MTB in nonrespiratory clinical specimens. It does not replace the gold standard culture method, but it helps to achieve better sensitivity and obtain rapid results within 2 h.

Background Tuberculosis (TB) is considered a multisystemic disease showing many extrapulmonary presentations. TB uveitis is one of the common forms of extrapulmonary TB. The lung is still the first organ to be attacked by TB, and pulmonary TB is the only infectious form of the disease. Aim The aim of the study was to detect the prevalence of active pulmonary TB among patients with TB uveitis. Patients and methods The present study included 37 patients with diagnosis of ocular TB on the basis of previous history, ocular examination, and exclusion of other suspected causes of uveitis. In addition, positive tuberculin skin test, or positive interferon-gamma release assays were carried out. All included patients were subjected to sputum examination for acid-fast bacilli and plain radiography of chest P-A view, and certain cases had a bronchoalveolar lavage. Patients with active pulmonary TB were detected. Both groups (patients with active pulmonary TB and patients with free chest) were compared with regard to all the previously mentioned studied parameters. Results The mean age of the studied patients was 34.8±12.5 years. All the studied patients showed positive tuberculin test with a mean of 18.5±3.4 mm. With regard to the Quantiferon Gold test, 34 patients (91.9%) had positive results. Concerning radiography, only 10 (27%) patients had normal radiograph, the rest of the patients showed various radiological lesions. Thirty (81.1%) patients were diagnosed to have active pulmonary TB. Sputum examination for acid-fast bacilli revealed that 22 (59.5%) patients had positive results; an additional eight patients (who had negative results on sputum examination) showed positive results when they underwent a bronchoalveolar lavage. There was no statistically significant difference with regard to all the previously mentioned parameters between patients with active pulmonary TB and patients with a free chest. Conclusion The present study revealed that a considerable percentage of the patients with TB uveitis had active pulmonary TB.

Tuberculosis (TB) is an underreported epidemic. Musculoskeletal TB is a relatively rare extrapulmonary complication of Mycobacterium tuberculosis involving just 1%–3% of patients. It commonly affects the spine and osteoarticular joints such as hip and knee, and it is mostly monoarticular. Oligo and polyarticular involvement, also called tuberculous rheumatism or Poncet's disease (PD), is an extremely rare occurrence due to a vigorous immune response to mycobacteria which contributes to the arthritic process. Here, we report a case of PD in a 3-year-old girl, who presented with complaints of insidious onset polyarthritis, mimicking juvenile arthritis. Cervical lymph node aspirate isolated acid-fast bacilli. The child was diagnosed as a case of PD, and after starting antituberculous therapy, her symptoms dramatically resolved. This patient illustrates the need to consider the possibility of TB in high-risk pediatric populations in countries like India as one of the causes of nonresolving chronic arthritis.

Background: Tuberculosis is a major global health problem. Tuberculous lymphadenopathy is a most common form of extrapulmonary tuberculosis (EPTB), constitutes 35% of all cases of EPTB. Due to the paucibacillary nature of specimens, smear microscopy and culture offer low sensitivity. Methods: The aim of the present study was to find the clinicodemographic profiles and comparing the performance of Xpert MTB/RIF, conventional polymerase chain reaction (PCR), mycobacteria growth indicator tube (MGIT) 960, histopathological examination, and clinical follow-up of patients in diagnosing of smear-negative tuberculous lymphadenopathy. Results: A total of 140 clinically suspected cervical tuberculous lymphadenitis cases were enrolled in this study. MGIT-960 culture, conventional PCR, and Xpert MTB/RIF were performed. Most of the patients presented with unilateral (87.14%), single (81.42%), matted (87.85%) lymph nodes, 3 cm–6 cm (52.14%), commonly in the right side (68.02%), and associated lung lesion was found in 12.86% of cases. The detection rates of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC) by Xpert MTB/RIF, conventional PCR, and MGIT were 25.71%, 20.71%, and 17.85%, respectively. Both the tests: Xpert MTB/RIF and PCR, PCR and MGIT, Xpert MTB/RIF and MGIT were positive in 15.71%, 15.71%, and 11.42% of cases, respectively. Most of the patients (74.1%) were cured with 6 months of antitubercular drugs. Conclusion: Clinicians often face the diagnostic dilemmas presented in the study. Individual modalities of the diagnosis are available, but all have drawbacks with varied sensitivity and specificity. Combining the available clinical, radiological, and microbiological modality to reach early diagnosis can go a long way to avoid misdiagnosis and unnecessary delay in treatment, especially in cases, without the pulmonary involvement and fulfilling the aim of National Tuberculosis Control Programme for EPTB cases.

Background: Extrapulmonary tuberculosis (EPTB) constitutes about 15%–20% of all cases of TB. Patients with EPTB are more likely to have negative sputum smear results. It is often hard to diagnose because of difficulty of sampling and paucibacillary nature of samples. Methods: Smear negative extra pulmonary (EP) specimens were included in the study. An attempt was made to recover M. tuberculosis (MTB) from such EP specimens using rapid liquid culture (MGIT 960). Molecular Line probe assay (LPA) was used to determine the resistant for first line drugs, and second line drug resistant was determined using liquid culture. Results: Culture positivity was found in 21.3% (133/623) of specimens; of these 95.48% (127/133) were found to be MTB and 4.51% (6/133) of specimens were found to be non tubercular mycobacteria. Among MTB detected 18.9% of specimens were multi drug resistant, 3.90% were Rifampicin mono-resistant and 13.30% were Isoniazid resistant. Second line DST (N=29) was performed for Kanamycin and Ofloxacin; of which 3.4 % was found to be resistant to both drugs, 3.4 % was found to be resistant to Ofloxacin and 93.1% were sensitive to both drugs. Conclusion: Large percentage of drug resistance was observed in the study. Early recovery of MTB and determination of its drug resistance helped in early initiation of treatment and controlled further transmission of drug-resistant TB in the population.

Introduction: In countries like Bangladesh, tuberculous lymphadenopathy is a common extrapulmonary site. Its diagnosis and management is a challenge for the primary care physicians for its various clinical and pathological presentations. Hence, the objective of the present study is to describe the clinicopathological profile and outcome of lymph node tuberculosis (TB) cases in our setting. Methods: It was a prospective observational study done among 29 lymph node cases attending the outpatient and inpatient department of medicine of a tertiary care hospital in a period of 2 years. After written informed consent, clinical points are noted and fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) or biopsy of lymph node was done and histologically evaluated and the patients were followed up further. After collection of all data, it was compiled and analyzed by SPSS version 20. Results: Among 29 cases, female patients (17, 58.6%) were more than the male (12, 41.4%) patients and most of the patients were at the age group of 21–30 years (48.3%). Most patients presented with fever (62.1%), weight loss (51.7%), night sweating 62.1%), anorexia (55.2%), and cough (27.6%). Among all, 20 (69%) patients presented with multiple enlarged lymph node group and 9 (31.0%) had involvement of single group. Cervical group involvement was the most common (25, 86.2%), and matting of lymph node was present in 20 (69%) cases. Among all, 24 (82.8%) cases were diagnosed by FNAC and 5 (17.2%) was diagnosed by biopsy. In microscopic evaluation, 18 (62.1%) cases had caseous necrosis, 27 (93.1%) had epithelioid cells and 8 (27.6%) had giant cells. Regarding other investigations, 8 (27.6%) patients had positive mantoux test (MT), 4 (13.8%) had concomitant pulmonary TB, and one case was found sputum positive for acid-fast bacilli. Regarding outcome evaluation, 20 (69%) cases were declared cured, 7 (24.1%) were lost to follow-up, one case died, and one cases was declared multi drug resistant tuberculosis (MDR) TB. Conclusion: In the study, bacteriological evaluation of the response to treatment cannot be done due to difficulty in obtaining follow-up specimens from the lymph node. Response was judged on the basis of clinical features and local examination findings.

Nephrocalcinosis is a rare condition in clinical practice where there is an increased renal deposition of calcium. Varied causes of this condition have been given in literature, and tuberculosis (TB) has been an important one. Hypercalcemia is a known complication of granulomatous diseases. We report a rare case explicitly showing relationship of extrapulmonary (genitourinary) TB with nephrocalcinosis.

Tuberculosis (TB) is a great mimicker of innumerable diseases and is often overlooked causing diagnostic dilemmas, especially when it occurs at extrapulmonary sites. Spermatic cord TB is a very rare form of genital TB with only a handful of cases documented in the world literature. Here, in this report, an unsuspected case of a spermatic cord TB in a 60-year-old male is described which not only disguised as a tumor but also led to an unneeded surgery as its treatment.

At present, three rapid kits are available globally for the confirmation of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC) in cultures by MPT64 antigen (MPT64 Ag) detection. These include Capilia TB, SD Bioline, and BD MGIT TBc Identification (TBcID). The third kit is yet to be validated in India. We have tested this kit and compared with SD Bioline using conventional tests as gold standard. Seventy-one MTBC (70 M. tuberculosis and one Mycobacterium bovis) and four nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) were isolated from 649 clinical specimens in MGIT 960 and/or Lowenstein–Jensen slants (LJ). MPT64 Ag was detected by both TBcID and SD Bioline kits in all the 71 clinical isolates and the reference strain M. tuberculosis H37Rv. All NTM species tested were negative by the two different kits. Thus, TBcID kit showed 100% concordance in terms of sensitivity and specificity. Rapid kits confirm MTBC cultures within 15 min in contrast to several weeks' time required by conventional techniques.

Background: Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) has appeared public health concern worldwide. Circulating of drug resistance strains is rising problem in MDR-TB among extra pulmonary TB (EPTB) cases. The objective of this study was to the genotypic characterization of MDR-TB isolates from EPTB and correlate with a phenotypic MDR-TB pattern in this region. Methods: This was study conducted prospectively manner. One hundred and sixty-four M. tuberculosis complex isolates were processed for first-line phenotypic drug susceptibility testing to rifampicin, isoniazid (INH), streptomycin, and ethambutol. Phenotypic confirmed MDR-TB strains were further characterized by gene sequencing for genotypic analysis of rpoB, katG, and inhA. Results: Among 164 MTBC strains, 39.1% of strains were resistant to first-line antitubercular drugs, and 13.4% were MDR-TB along with EPTB cases. In one strain, katG and inhA gene were absent in sequencing analysis. S531 L (61.9%) and S315T (71.4%) mutations were the most predominant mutation in MDR-TB isolates among EPTB cases. Conclusion: Molecular drug resistance testing allows to improved diagnosis, reduces the risk of additional resistance and effective treatment of drug resistance TB. Molecular DST testing can help in the detection for MDR-TB which helps in the prompt initiation of effective antitubercular therapy.

Extrapulmonary tuberculosis (TB) is rare in immunocompetent healthy adults. TB of the chest wall accounts for 1%–5% of all cases of musculoskeletal TB. Psoas abscess can be either primary or secondary to diseases like Pott's spine. We describe a patient with massive lower chest wall abscess extending to abdominal muscles and an asymptomatic large psoas abscess detected on imaging due to spine TB which responded well to antitubercular therapy and drainage without surgical measures. The concomitant presence of a massive chest wall abscess and psoas abscess due to TB in an immunocompetent patient was not reported previously.

Extrapulmonary manifestations of tuberculosis (TB) are particularly frequent during childhood, and usually involve the lymph nodes and the skull. They are related to predisposing immunosuppression conditions. A patient affected by diabetes mellitus type 1 (DMT1) and congenital lamellar ichthyosis type 3 came at our attention with a 4-year history of recurrent parotitis and severe back pain and inferior limb hypomobility, which had lasted for 6 months. A diagnosis of chronic TB parotitis combined with Pott disease was performed after a suggestive spinal magnetic resonance imaging, and positive culture and polymerase-chain reaction examination. Surgical aspiration of the fluid collection and a 12-month antitubercular treatment resulted in complete resolution of the symptomatology. This is the first report of a Pott disease in a patient affected by the two co-occurrences of two immunosuppression diseases such as DMT1 and congenital lamellar ichthyosis type 3