Tuberculosis Flashcards
How is M. tuberculosis transmitted?
Airborne transmission
Enters lower airways
- No infection if consumed by macrophage
- Cellular immunity triggered by replication in lungs -> asymptomatic (latent) or symptomatic (active)
What are the risk factors for latent and active TB?
Latent and active:
- Residents of prisons, homeless shelters, nursing homes
- Close contact with pulmonary tuberculosis patients
- Co-infection with HIV
What are the risk factors for active TB only?
- Children <2y
- Elderly >65y
- Malnutrition
- Immunosuppression
- Co-infection with HIV
List 6 signs and symptoms for pulmonary tuberculosis.
- Productive cough
- Hemoptysis: cough blood
- Fever
- Fatigue
- Night sweats
- Weight loss
How can TB be differentiated from pneumonia?
Duration of symptoms
TB: gradual onset over weeks to months
Pneumonia: acute onset over hours to days
What are some radiological findings that assist in diagnosing TB?
Infiltrates in apical region (obligate anaerobe)
Cavitary lesions
Indications for latent TB infection (LTBI) screening
High risk + intent to treat if positive
- Children with recent TB contact
- HIV-infected individuals
- Considered for tumor necrosis factor antagonist therapy (immunosuppressive therapy)
- Transplant patients
- Dialysis (frequent healthcare encounters)
Tests for LTBI
Test if there is past exposure to TB
- Tuberculin skin test (tuberculin purified protein derivative test)
- inject 0.1ml of PPD intradermally -> read after 48-72h by trained reader -> read diameter of induration not redness
- positive is >10mm since most SG people have received BCG - Interferon-gamma release assay
- blood collection into special tubes -> measure interferon-gamma released by WBC in response to incubation with M. tuberculosis specific antigens
What are the advantages and limitations of tuberculin skin test and interferon-gamma release assay?
- Tuberculin
(+) Low cost, no need for blood samples
(-) false negative (immunosuppressed), false positive (environmental contact, BCG vaccination), intra-reader variability - Interferon-gamma
(+) no false positive in BCG-vaccination, minimal cross-reactivity with non TB mycobacterium, few hours
(-) false negative (immunosuppressed), cost, blood samples
Diagnosis of active TB
Clinical suspicion:
- History
- Risk factors (Immune status (HIV, diabetes), cramped living conditions, nutritional status, age, travel history)
- Clinical presentation
- Physical exam findings
- Chest X ray findings
Initiate treatment if sputum obtained for Ziehl Neelsen stain for acid fast bacilli (AFB) is positive
What are some infection control considerations for active TB patients?
Hospitals: airborne precautions
- negative pressure room & PPE
- Stop airborne precautions after 2 weeks of effective treatment
Community: take TB medications, practice cough etiquette, ventilate home
- No need to avoid household members (low risk of transmission on effective treatment)
Benefits & considerations for treating LTBI
Reduce lifetime risk of progression to active TB to 1%
Monotherapy is sufficient
Prior to initiation:
- exclude active TB
- weigh risk vs benefit (side fx for underlying liver disease -> choose not to treat LTBI)
Treatment of LTBI
- PO isoniazid 5mg/kg OD (max 300mg)
- x6mo or 9mo (HIV)
- Preferred in pregnancy, lactation, HIV
- Coadminister with pyridoxine (>10mg/d) to minimise neuropathy - PO rifampicin 10mg/kg OD (max 600mg)
- x4 mo
- Alternative if cannot tolerate isoniazid - PO isoniazid + rifapentine 900mg weekly
- 12 weeks (not recommended for HIV)
- given under DOT (directly observed therapy)
Who keeps track of TB in Singapore?
National Tuberculosis Registry: mandatory reporting by healthcare professionals
Singapore TB Elimination Programme (STEP):
- Promote DOT (compliance, best treatment outcomes)
- National Treatment Surveillance Registry
- Contact investigations (LTBI and treatment)
What are the benefits of treating active TB?
Patient: - reduce number of replicating and persisting bacteria - durable cure and prevent relapse - prevent resistance Public health: minimise transmission