ABSTRACT
Background: Pulmonary aspergillosis (PA) is common among patients with tuberculosis (TB). With both infections presenting with similar clinical and radiologic features, diagnosis of PA is often made too late or missed completely due to lack of clinical suspicion and poor diagnostic laboratory capacity for mycotic infections prevalent in our settings. We present a case of preventable mortality caused by delayed diagnosis and treatment of PA in a patient with pulmonary TB (PTB). Case presentation: A 13-year-old female was diagnosed and treated for PTB, having received anti-TB regimen for 8 months in a mission hospital from where she was referred due to worsening cough, chest pain and progressive breathlessness. The patient was re-assessed and investigated, with GeneXpert detecting Mycobacterium tuberculosis, susceptible to rifampicin. Diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis complicated by right pneumothorax was made indicating an emergency thoracotomy and chest tube insertion and continuation of the first line anti-TB regimen. At about 2 weeks into admission, patients had features of superimposed acute bacterial sepsis with fever becoming high grade, marked neutrophilia with toxic granulation and elevated sepsis biomarker, and this necessitated empiric antibiotic treatment with parenteral meropenem and vancomycin. However, the patient only had mild clinical improvement following which there was progressively worsening respiratory symptoms and massive haemoptysis. Result of sputum fungal study was available on admission day 20 and revealed a growth of Aspergillus flavus. Treatment with intravenous voriconazole was however commenced rather late when the fungal respiratory disease could no longer be remedied. The patient died on admission day 23. Conclusion: Diagnosis of PA in patients with background TB is often made too late to guarantee timely and effective antifungal treatment with negative consequences on patients' outcomes. Improving clinical and laboratory capacities is essential to reducing mortality from PA in healthcare facilities.
Subject(s)
Humans , Tuberculosis , Diagnosis , Pulmonary Aspergillosis , Mycobacterium tuberculosis , VoriconazoleABSTRACT
Objective To investigate the prevalence of tuberculosis (TB) in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) positive population and explore its influencing factors.Methods Cluster sampling was used,continuous 205 cases who were diagnosed as HIV positive from December 16,2002 to June 30,2012 in Zhuhui district and Yanfeng district of Hunan province and could be followed up and traced were enrolled in the study.All patients were screened after informed content through questionnaire,sputum smear examination,chest X-ray examination,liquid culture (BACTECTM MGITTM 960 operating system),mycobacterium species identification (for liquid culture positive) and CD4 testing.Univariate and multivariate analyses were conducted to identify the impacts of different sex,age,and TB suspect syndromes,etc.Results Of 205 cases,19 were diagnosed as tuberculosis.The rate of TB/HIV was 9.3％.Univariate analysis showed that age,annual household net income,being acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) patients and with TB suspect syndromes had significant impacts on tuberculosis combining (P ＜ 0.05).While multivariate analysis showed that age (OR =1.443) and TB suspect syndromes (OR =3.124) were risk factors influencing TB combining in people living with HIV (PLHIVs).Conclusions TB prevalence in HIV positive population was higher in Zhuhui district and Yanfeng,those aged and with TB suspect syndromes cases had higher risk to develop tuberculosis.TB screening should be reinforced in HIV positive population.
ABSTRACT
Objective: To assess quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (q-PCR) for the sputum smear diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) in patients living with HIV/AIDS with a clinical suspicion of PTB. Method: This is a prospective study to assess the accuracy of a diagnostic test, conducted on 140 sputum specimens from 140 patients living with HIV/AIDS with a clinical suspicion of PTB, attended at two referral hospitals for people living with HIV/AIDS in the city of Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil. A Löwenstein-Jensen medium culture and 7H9 broth were used as gold standard. Results: Of the 140 sputum samples, 47 (33.6%) were positive with the gold standard. q-PCR was positive in 42 (30%) of the 140 patients. Only one (0.71%) did not correspond to the culture. The sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of the q-PCR were 87.2%, 98.9% and 95% respectively. In 39 (93%) of the 42 q-PCR positive cases, the CT (threshold cycle) was equal to or less than 37. Conclusion: q-PCR performed on sputum smears from patients living with HIV/AIDS demonstrated satisfactory sensitivity, specificity and accuracy, and may therefore be recommended as a method for diagnosing PTB.
Objetivo: Evaluar la Reacción en Cadena de Polimerasa en tiempo real cuantitativa (qPCR) para el diagnóstico de tuberculosis pulmonar (TBP) en esputo de pacientes con sida y sospecha clínica de TBP. Método: Se trata de un estudio prospectivo para evaluación de precisión de prueba diagnóstica, realizado en 140 muestras de esputo provenientes de 140 pacientes con sida y sospecha clínica de TBP atendidos en dos hospitales de referencia para atención VIH/sida en Recife-PE, Brasil. Se utilizó el cultivo en medios Löwenstein-Jensen y 7H9 como estándar de oro. Resultados: De las 140 muestras de esputo, 47 (33,6%) fueron positivas por el estándar de oro. La qPCR fue positiva en 42 (30%) de los pacientes. En apenas un (0.71%) caso no correspondió con el cultivo. La sensibilidad, especificidad y precisión de la qPCR fueron 87,2%, 98,9% y 95% respectivamente. De las 42 qPCR positivas en 39 (93%) el CT (threshold cycle) fue igual o inferior a 37. Conclusión: La qPCR realizada en muestra de esputo de pacientes con sida demostró sensibilidad, especificidad y precisión satisfactoria, pudiendo ser recomendada como método de diagnóstico de TBP.
Subject(s)
Adult , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Young Adult , AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections/diagnosis , DNA, Bacterial/analysis , Mycobacterium tuberculosis/genetics , Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction , Sputum/microbiology , Tuberculosis, Pulmonary/diagnosis , Mycobacterium tuberculosis/isolation & purification , Predictive Value of Tests , Prospective Studies , Sensitivity and SpecificityABSTRACT
Objective To investigate the problem of adverse effects in common AIDS patients and AIDS patients with tuberculosis after highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). Methods The case group was composed of 106 patients with both AIDS and tuberculosis. The control group was composed of 134 common AIDS patients. The rates of adverse effects and the increase of CD4 + T cell count in those groups after first year HAART were observed and compared. Results The rates of adverse effects in the case group was 36. 8% ,which was more than that in the control group (26. 9%), but the difference was not significantly different(x2 =2.715, P =0. 099). The count of CD4+ T cell in most of the patients was increased after HAART (P ＜ 0. 01). The increase of CD4 + T cell count in the case group [(147.2 ±137.6)/μl] was higher that in the control group[(142. 1 ± 127. 0)/μl after six months HAART vs. (166. 5±133. 1)/μl in case group], and it was lower than that in control group after nine months HAART [(172.7±107.5)/μl], however the difference was not significant(P ＞0.05). Conclusions HAARTcould reconstruct the immunition of AIDS patients. The increase of CD4 + T cell count did not show significant difference between common AIDS patients and AIDS patients with tuberculosis after HAART. AIDS patients with tuberculosis might not increase the risk of development of adverse effects during HAART.