A STUDY OF FUNGAL INFECTIONS IN CHRONIC PULMONARY TUBERCULOSIS PATIENTS

Dr.GATTU SURESH KUMAR; Dr.SABINKAR BABU LAL; Dr.ASHISH DEVALKAR.T

Volume : VII, Issue : IX, September - 2017

A STUDY OF FUNGAL INFECTIONS IN CHRONIC PULMONARY TUBERCULOSIS PATIENTS

Dr. Gattu Suresh Kumar, Dr. Sabinkar Babu Lal, Dr. Ashish Devalkar. T

Abstract :

Background: Tuberculosis kills more adults in India than any other infectious disease. Chronic nature of tubercular infection with extensive use of oad spectrum antibiotics, and irregular use of Anti tubercular drugs not only leads to impaired immunological status but also predisposes them to mycotic infection.As these infections are associated with high rate of morbidity and mortality,there is an acute need to study epidemiology and optimal management of opportunistic fungal pathogens in Tuberculosis patients.

Objective: This study was carried with the main objectives: (1)to find out the occurrence of pulmonary mycoses in diagnosed Pulmonary Tuberculosis cases (2) to find out the various fungi causing pulmonary mycoses and profile of risk factors associated with these cases.

Methodology: This is a prospective observational study carried out over a period of one year comprising of 101 patients attending Pulmonary Medicine Department, Siddhartha Medical College , Vijayawada from June 2016 to May 2017 with Tuberculosis who satisfied inclusion criteria like age above 18 years,taking antitubercular drugs,sputum smear negative Tuberculosis patients and associated with comorbidities like Diabetes mellitus.Descriptive and inferential statistical analysis has been carried out in this study. Identification of organisms from sputum samples were done by classical microbial staining and culture methods.

Results: Out of 101 patients,23 patients(22.7%) have fungal culture positive.Out of 23 patients,18 patients(17.82%) had growth of Candida albicans,Candida non albicans in 1 patient(0.99%),Aspergillus fumigatus in 3 patients(2.97%),Aspergillus niger in 1 patient (0.99%).

Conclusion: Tuberculosis infection and disease manifest with a wide spectrum of clinical conditions resulting from multisystem involvement producing varied clinical features due to opportunistic infections.This study indicates that fungal etiology should also be sought in all the clinically suspected Pulmonary Tuberculosis patients,otherwise the case may be missed or misdiagnosed.