A Clinico–Microbiological Study of Extrapulmonary  Tuberculosis in Patients Attending a Tertiary Care  Centre

Rakesh Prasad Sah; Dr. Anahita V. Bhesania; Dr. Harapriya Kar; Rakesh Kumar; Dr. A.D. Urhekar; B.L. Chaudhary

Volume : III, Issue : VII, July - 2013

A Clinico–Microbiological Study of Extrapulmonary Tuberculosis in Patients Attending a Tertiary Care Centre

Rakesh Prasad Sah, Dr. Anahita V. Bhesania, Dr. Harapriya Kar, Rakesh Kumar, Dr. A. D. Urhekar, B. L. Chaudhary

Abstract :

Tuberculosis (TB) is a disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Annually, about nine million people contract tuberculosis and nearly two million are killed by the disease. Extra–pulmonary tuberculosis (EPTB) increases world over with advent of HIV. The sensitivity of the conventional methods ranges from 40–80% whereas, sensitivity of PCR ranges from 90–100%. 60 clinically suspected patients of EPTB lesions were analyzed over a period of one year. Samples were subjected for ZN staining, Lowenstein–Jensen culture media and Real Time PCR respectively. Lymph nodes were the most common site of clinically suspected EPTB lesions. The sensitivity and specificity of ZN staining was 67% & 100% and RT–PCR was 100% & 96% respectively, Culture was the “Gold Standard”. Real Time PCR with the two conventional diagnostic modalities of ZN staining and Culture definitely enables to diagnose a challengeable diagnosis of extra–pulmonary tuberculosis which certainly helps to initiate timely anti–tubercular treatment.