Comparison the Radiologic Findings of Pulmonary Tuberculosis Among HIV-Seropositive With HIV-Seronegative Patients

Abstract

: Background: Approximately 1.8 million of the world’s population is infected with both M.tuberculosis (TB) and HIV. HIV-seropositive patients with TB may have radiographically atypical presentations.Objectives: This study aimed to determine whether there was any difference in radiological presentation of pulmonary TB between HIV-seropositive and HIV-seronegative patients.Patients and Methods: Information on 204 patients who were admitted with a diagnosis of pulmonary TB to the infectious ward of Razi Hospital, Ahvaz, between 2004 and 2008 was obtained from their records. They were divided into HIV-seropositive and HIV-seronegative groups. All clinical signs and symptoms and radiological findings were extracted from each patient file and recorded in a questionnaire.Results: Normal thoracic radiography, pleural effusion, milliary pattern, and hilar and mediastinal lymphadenopathy were more common in the HIV-seropositive group. Pulmonary infiltration and cavitary lesions in Chest X-ray (CXR) were more frequent in the HIV-seronegative group. The prevalence of fibrosis in HIV-seronegative patients was higher than in HIV-seropositive subjects. Upper lobe pulmonary involvement in HIV-seropositive patients was less frequent than HIV-seronegative persons due to their immunodeficiency.Conclusions: Radiological presentation of pulmonary TB differs between HIV-seropositive and HIV-seronegative patients due to progressive immunodeficiency from HIV infection. Implication for health policy/practice/research/medical education:As pulmonary tuberculosis is an important opportunistic infection in patients with advanced HIV infection, delay in diagnosis and treatment may lead to severe morbidity and death. So clinicians should be aware about different and sometimes atypical radiographic manifestations of pulmonary tuberculosis in HIV infected patients. The importance of this study is to define such atypical. Please cite this paper as:Ahmadi F, Salmanzadeh S, Kimyai M, Comparison the Radiologic Findings of Pulmonary Tuberculosis Among HIV-Seropositive With HIV-Seronegative Patients. Jundishapur J Microbiol.2012;5(2):421-3. DOI: 10.5812/jjm.3536 Copyright © 2012 Kowsar Corp. All rights reserved.