Tuberculosis Flashcards
What are the risk factors of tuberculosis?
Poverty and overcrowding which increases inter patient spread, resulting in the inhalation of aerosolised droplets by coughing, sneezing or talking
Medical risk factors like diabetes, conditions requiring long term high dose CS, immunosuppressant patents,
Homelessness, IV drug users, alcohol misusers
Malnutrition (deficiency of vitamin A and D)
HIV- the single most important factor determining the increased incidence of TB in the last 10 years
HIV weakens the immune system and increases likelihood of infection with TB bascilli
TB is the Leading cause of death among people who are HIV positive (13% of AIDS death worldwide)
What is the epidemiology of tuberculosis?
Kills more people than any other single infectious agent
~1/3 if the worlds population is infected
1/3 of 40million people living with HIV are co infected with TB
Infection rates and risk of TB differ markedly between affluent and poorer areas of the world
Asia has the largest burden of disease
India and china are responsible for 35% of all cases worldwide
3million people die each year from the disease
There are 400 cases per year in NZ
2/3 of cases are pulmonary and 1/3 of cases are extrapulmonary
There is a 16x increased rate in maori than in Europeans
What are the microbiological characteristics of TB?
Aerobic bacilli.
Complexes include M. Tuberculosis, M. Bovis, M. Microti, M africanum.
Predominant pathogen in humans is M. Tuberculosis.
Produces β lactamase enzymes: intrinsic resistance to penicillin.
Acid fastness: resistance to decolourisation by acid. Hence, acid fast bacilli
What is the Pathogenesis of TB?
Primary infection initiated by alveolar implantation of organisms in droplet nuclei which are small enough to reach the alveolar surface (~1-5mm)
Ingestion and inoculation are rarer ways of getting TB infection.
What are the main causative organisms of primary TB infection?
M. Tuberculosis M. Bovis M. Micro tri M. Canetti M. Africanum
What are the main disease stages of TB?
Immediate clearance of organisms
Latent infection
Primary disease
Re activation of disease
What does the progression of TB disease depend on?
The number of bacteria inhaled or ingested
The virulence of bacteria
The cell mediated immune response of the host
What is primary TB infection?
Occurs within first 2-3 years after infection
Accounts for half of TB cases
Caused by inhaled TB bacilli reaching alveoli and infecting alveolar macrophages to induce n immune response with attraction of other inflammatory cells
What is the immune response to primary TB infection?
CD4+ lymphocytes activate macrophages to engulf and kill mycobacteria. This forms a tubercle.
T lymphocytes destroy macrophages which are unable to kill invaders.
Depletion of T lymphocytes in HIV = inadequate defences against M. TB
If macrophages can kill the bacterial the infection is aborted.
If macrophages cannot kill bacteria, the bacteria multiplies within the macrophages.
If the bacteria cannot be contained, the macrophages rupture and release it which is then taken up by other macrophages to continue the process.
What are the two mechanisms of immune evasion exhibited by M. TB?
Inhibition of lysosomes to phagosome fusion
Lopoarabinomamnan
What is inhibition of lysosomes to phagosome fusion?
This prevents the destructive enzymes found in lysosomes from getting to the bacilli captured in hit he phagosomes.
This allows the M. TB to escape into the cytoplasm where it is able to multiple in the macrophage cytoplasm
What is lipoarabinomanan?
This induces immunosuppressive cytokines, blocks macrophage activation, scavenges oxygen and therefore prevents attacks by superoxide anions, hydrogen peroxide and hydroxyl radicals
What are the two ways which describe how is TB eradicated?
cell mediated immunity
delayed type hypersensitivity
What is cell mediated immunity?
Where CD4+ T lymphocytes are presented with M. TB antigen
This stimulates macrophages to become bactericidal via interferonγ to target the mycobacterium and control the infection
What is delayed type hypersensitivity?
This also develops through activation and multiplication of T lymphocytes.
This kills the infected macrophages and release the mycobacterium which is then killed by activated macrophages.
Which hypersensitivity produces a positive TB test?
The delayed type hypersensitivity where T lymphocyte activation and multiplication kills infected macrophages to release the bacterium which can then be eradicated by active macrophages
What are the the possible implications for people who have had primary TB ?
90% have no further clinical manisfestation
5% get progressive primary disease at site of infection leading to meningitis and often to involvement of upper lobes of the lung.
10% develope activation disease which occurs years later
What sorts of patients typically make up the 5% who get progressive primary disease after the initial infection?
Children, elderly or the immunocompromised
What is the usual site of primary TB infection?
The lower lobes
What is progressive primary TB?
This occurs in 5-10% of cases and arises due to an inadequate immune system,
Patient develops both pulmonary and constitutional symptoms
May occur in 50% of HIV patients
What is miliary TB?
Chronic TB infection where original primary infection is spread via lymphatic system.
Immunocompromised patients are more at risk
Treat with INH, rifampacin, ethambutol and other antibiotics
What is latent TB infection?
Patient has TB but infection is not clinically apparent.
No active disease due to presence of live, dormant and non-reproducing M. TB
Disease may occur if host’s immune defences are impaired.
Chest X-ray either normal or trivial/stable evidence of past TB
5% of individuals with latent TB develop active disease within 2 years
Another 5% develop after 2 years
What is post primary infection?
This occurs if the individual becomes reinfected or the primary disease is reactivated
What is inactive TB?
Chest X-rat is not trivial
Patients have annual risk of developing active disease at least 2.5x greater than patients with latent TB
Patient is likely to have more dominant TB organisms than a patient with Mantoux conversion and a normal chest X-ray
How is pulmonary TB clinically presented?
Persistent productive cough (>2 weeks)
Pleuritic chest pain
Shortness of breath
Haemoptysis (coughing up blood)
X-ray shows apical (upper lobe) consolidation + cavity formation
Pulmonary cavity favours bacterial multiplication to very high levels
Patients usually sputum smear positive and highly infectious
How is CNS clinically presented?
Most serious clinical manisfestation
Results in meningitis or space occupying lesions of the brain.
Meningitis usually presents as headache, neck stiffness + fever
Alteration in mental status is common.
Cranial nerve palsies may occur
Severe form of sudden onset of meningitis may occur with rapid progression to coma
What is different about clinical presentations of TB in HIV patients?
Usually prevents atypically.
HIV patients:
Less likely to have Positive skin tests, cavitary lesions or fever
Higher incidence of extrapulmonary TB
More likely to present with progressive primary disease
What is different about the clinical presentations of TB in elderly patients?
TB in elderly is easily confused with other respiratory diseases
TB in elderly is less likely to present in skin tests, fevers, night sweats, sputum production or haemoptysis
Whatis the preliminary diagnosis of TB based on?
Patient symptoms and signs
Tuberculin reaction
Radiographic appearance
What are the clinical tests for TB?
Mantoux test
Interferon γ release assay test
What is the Mantoux test?
Individuals in whom TB is suspected are given 0.1mL of 100units/ml interdermal tuberculin purified protein derivative injection.
This causes a hypersensitivity reaction in patients exposed to TB, BCG and other mycobacteria as they will have the antibody against it.
After 48-72 hours, result is measured based on the size of the welt formed on the skin.
How is latent TB interpreted using the Mantoux test?
Size of the welt is correlated with future risk of developing TB