Microbiological Investigation In Dead Bodies For Prevalence of Tuberculosis.

ABSTRACT

Despite the availability of effective treatment for most cases, tuberculosis is still a cause of death in our country. Some cases of active tuberculosis are not identified until after the patient had died and an autopsy has been performed. This study was done to determine the prevalence of tuberculosis in autopsy cases.We aimed to determine the infection with Mycobacteriumtuberculosis using Tuberculosis culture in samples that were obtained from lungs of forensic cases whoseautopsies had been performed in the mortuary of our institution.In our autopsy study, out of the 168 tissue samples that were obtained from lungs over a period of three years, only 9 (5.36%) were positive for Tuberculosis in Lowenstein-Jensen medium. For this reason, we think that autopsy workers have to be carefulabout tuberculosis during their autopsy working. Awareness of tuberculosis and its high prevalence in India is essential for minimising missed diagnoses. Absence of suspicion and delayed diagnosis mean increased risk in health care and at autopsy. Although this is a burning issue but the forensic medicine departments in India seem to be taking it lightly.