Tuberculosis Flashcards
describe the basic epidemiology of tuberculosis?
- 1/3 of worlds population are infected with TB
- 9 million new and relapsed cases
- 1.4 million deaths
- incidence increased by 1% each year and peaked in 2005 and now is declining
- mainly Africa and Asia
what are the 4 main mycobacterial species which are collectively known as mycobacterium tuberculosis complex?
Mycobacterium tuberculosis
Mycobacterium bovis
Mycobacterium africanum
Mycobacterium microti
describe the characteristics of mycobacterial species?
obligate aerobes and faculative intracellular pathogens, usually infecting mononuclear phagocytes.
slow growing generation time of 12-18 hours
high lipid content in the cell wall so relatively impearmeable
acid fast bacilli
describe the basic pathogenesis of tuberculosis?
-airborne
-respiratory droplets
-only small number of bacteria need to be inhaled to develop infection but not all those who are infected develop active disease
the outcome of exposure is dictated by a number of factors including the hosts immune response
describe primary tuberculosis infection?
- infection with MTb
- alveolar macrophages ingest bacteria
- bacilli proliferate in macrophage
- release of neutrophils, chemoattractants and cytokines
- leads to inflammatory cell infiltrate reaching lung and draining hilar lymph nodes
- macrophages present antigen to T cells
- development of celular immune response
- delayed hypersensitivity type reaction leading to tissue necrosis and formulation of a granuloma
what is a granulomatous lesion?
central area of necrotic material (caseation) surrounded by epitheliood cells and langhans’ giant cells
caseated areas heal and may become calcified some contain bacteria that can lay dormant for year
what is a ghon focus?
the inital focus of disease
on x-ray is a small calcified nodule in upper parts of lower lobes or lower parts of upper lobes
what is a primary complex of ranke?
a ghon focus that may develop in a regional draining lymph node
what percentage of people develop active disease upon initial contact with infection?
<5%
what is latent TB?
For most people infected with mycobacterium, the immune system contains the infection and the patient develops cell mediated immune memory to the bacteria called latent TB
what are the features of latent infection?
bacilli present in ghon focus sputum smear and culture negative tuberculin skin test usually positive chest x-ray normal (small calcified ghon focus frequently visible) asymptomatic not infectious to others
what are the features of active disease?
-bacilli present in tissues or secretions
-sputum commonly smear and culture positive in pulmonary disease
MTb can usually be cultured from infected tissue
tuberculin skin test usually positive (and can ulcerate)
chest X-ray signs of consolidation /cavitation/effusion in pulmonary disease
symptomatic (night sweats, fevers, weight loss, cough)
infectious to others if bacilli detectable on sputum
what factors are implicated in the reactivation of latent TB?
HIV co-infection immunosuppresant therapy diabetes mellitus end stage chronic kidney disease malnutrition ageing
what are the clinical features of pulmonary TB?
Symptomatic with a productive cough and occasionally haemoptysis along with systemic symptoms of weight loss, fevers and sweats (commonly at the end of the day and at night). When there is laryngeal involvement, hoarse voice and a severe cough are found. If disease involves pleura the pleuritic pain may be the presenting complaint
how is a diagnosis of pulmonary TB made?
Chest X-ray-consolidation with or without cavitation, pleural effusion or thickening or widening of the mediastinum caused by hilar or paratracheal adenopathy
what are the clinical features of lymph node TB?
extrathoracic nodes are more commonly involved and usually presents as a firm non tender enlargement of a cervical or supraclavicular node. Node becomes necrotic centrally and can liquefy and be fluctuant if peripheral. Overlying skin is frequently indurated or there can be sinus tract formation with purulent discharge but characteristically there is no erythema. Nodes can be enlarged for several months before diagnosis. On CT, the central area appears necrotic
what would be appropriate diagnostic investigations for a patient with pulmonary, pleural or laryngeal TB?
smear and culture of
- sputum
- bronchoalveolar lavage if unproductive cough
- aspiration of pleural fluid and pleural biopsy
- nasoendoscopic or bronchoscopic examinations/biopsy
what would be the appropriate diagnostic investigations and findings in a patient with miliary TB?
- blood cultures
- bronchoalveolar lavage (smear negative but culture positive)
- lumbar puncture-assess CNS involvement
what would be the appropriate diagnostic investigations and findings in a patient with CNS TB?
- lumbar puncture (CSF protein high, CSF glucose <1/2 blood glucose
- CSF lymphocytosis
what would be the appropriate diagnostic investigations and findings in a patient with lymph node TB?
- all samples sent for histocytopathological examination
- culture and smear (fine needle aspiration or biopsy of involved lymph / mediastinal nodal sampling)
what microbiological methods are used to make a diagnosis of TB?
- stains
- culture
- nucleic acid amplification
describe the use of stains in making a diagnosis of TB?
auramine-rhodamine staining is more sensitive (but less specific) than ziehl-neelsen so is more widely used)
bacilli are highlighted as yellow/orange on a green background
describe the use of culture in making a diagnosis of TB?
liquid culture
allows detection of drug sensitivity to infection
describe the use of nucleic acid amplification in making a diagnosis of TB?
used to differentiate between mycobacterium and non-mycobacteria
what is directly observed therapy?
widely recommended and employed with an aim to achieve treatment completion
it is treatment supervised by a healthcare professional where the patient is observed swallowing the medication
what is the criteria for the implementation of directly observed therapy?
- patients thought unlikely to comply such as patients with serious mental health problems or with a history of TB non-adherence
- street or shelter dwelling homelessness
- multi-drug resistant TB
what is the usual duration of treatment for pulmonary, extrapulmonary or miliary TB?
6 months
can be extended to 9 months in certain situations
-patient smear positive 2 months into treatment
-HIV co-infection
-high burden of disease
what is the drug choice for TB treatment?
2 months of rifampicin, ethambutol, isoniazid, pyrazinamide plus 4 months of isoniazid and rifampicin