Progressive Primary Pulmonary Tuberculosis in Current Times: Are we really heading Towards ‘End of TB’ or Still, Many Miles to go for ‘Dream Come True’?

Abstract

Tuberculosis is a more prevalent disease and the leading cause of death from an infectious agent in India. Tuberculosis in India accounts for the highest number of cases and deaths annually in the world. In spite of an efficient National tuberculosis control program for five decades, Tuberculosis is still the number one cause of death due to infectious agents in India and one third of total global deaths occurs in India due to this disease. Burden of drug sensitive and drug resistant cases is highest in the south east Asian region with maximum cases in India and China. India has launched a National strategic plan to end TB in 2017 with a target to eliminate TB by 2025. Main theme of the national strategic plan is ‘TB Free India’ with the vision of zero TB disease, zero deaths due to TB and decreasing poverty due to TB. Tuberculosis is an ancient disease and history traced before the evolution of mankind on this planet. Tuberculosis primarily affects the lung and is classified pathologically as primary, post-primary and progressive primary tuberculosis. In this case report, a 62-year male, presented with constitutional symptoms for six-month duration with partial response to medical treatment. He was having low grade fever, cough, shortness of breath, weight loss and anorexia for 6 months. His symptoms were progressive and empirically treated as enteric or typhoid fever for four to five occasions with oral and intravenous antibiotics with steroids with general physicians and family physicians. Additionally, he received empirical treatment as jaundice, viral fever, bronchitis, asthma, and generalised debilitating disease. Relatives brought to our center worsened general health with increased shortness of breath. Clinically he was having bilateral crepitations with decreased breath sounds right lower axillary and infrascapular area. Chest x-ray showed right pleural effusion with miliary opacities bilateral lung field. HRCT thorax showed typical miliary opacities with conglomerated pattern and pleural effusion on the right side of thorax. Pleural fluid analysis revealed exudative effusion with raised ADA level. He was unable to produce sputum, we have done bronchoscopy and BAL evaluation confirmed pulmonary tuberculosis and sensitivity pattern. BAL cytology documented acid-fast bacilli in smear and MTB genome with rifampicin sensitivity in cartridge based nucleic acid amplification test. Treatment initiated with anti-tuberculosis (ATT). We have recorded near complete radiological resolution, bacteriological cure after eight months of ATT with good compliance. More awareness is required regarding symptoms, diagnosis and treatment of tuberculosis to family physicians and general practitioners as the majority of the rural population receives treatment from these health professionals.