[Active bronchial tuberculosis in respiratory tuberculosis]

Area of Science:

• Pulmonology
• Infectious Diseases
• Microbiology

Background:

• Tuberculosis remains a significant global health concern.
• Active bronchial tuberculosis (ABT) presents diagnostic challenges.
• Understanding the epidemiology and clinical manifestations of ABT is crucial for effective management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the incidence and prevalence of active bronchial tuberculosis (ABT) in a patient cohort.
• To analyze the association between ABT and different forms of pulmonary tuberculosis.
• To describe the clinical course and severity of ABT in relation to specific tuberculous pathologies.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective analysis of 1212 patients aged 1.5 to 70 years examined between 1998 and 2001.
• Bronchoscopy (rigid or flexible) was utilized for diagnosis.
• Data on tuberculosis type, patient demographics, and clinical presentation were collected.

Main Results:

• Active bronchial tuberculosis (ABT) was detected in 6.1% (74/1212) of patients.
• A notable increase in ABT incidence was observed, rising from 4.0% to 9.4% overall.
• ABT was more common in secondary pulmonary tuberculosis (10.9%) and primary tuberculosis (11.2%), especially in infiltrative and fibrocavernous forms. Severe ABT courses, including fistular and ulcerative forms, were prevalent in intrathoracic lymph nodal and fibrocavernous tuberculosis.

Conclusions:

• The incidence of active bronchial tuberculosis (ABT) has shown an upward trend.
• Specific forms of pulmonary tuberculosis, such as infiltrative and fibrocavernous, are associated with a higher risk of ABT.
• Ulcerative and fistular forms of ABT indicate a more severe disease progression, necessitating targeted therapeutic strategies.