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Musculoskeletal tuberculosis in Bradford - a 6-year review
J C Talbot1, Q Bismil, D Saralaya
1Department of Trauma and Orthopaedics, Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, Bradford UK. charlietalbot@doctors.org.uk
Introduction:
Tuberculosis (TB) remains the most common cause of death from infectious disease world-wide. In the UK, the incidence of TB has risen by 25% over the last 10 years; extrapulmonary diagnosis remains challenging and can be delayed. This study evaluates the epidemiology of musculoskeletal tuberculosis in a large multi-ethnic UK city.
Patients And Methods:
A review of prospectively recorded data of incidence, anatomical site, ethnic distribution, treatment and drug resistance of musculoskeletal tuberculosis over a 6-year period was performed.
Results:
From January 1999 to December 2004, there were 729 TB notifications; 61 cases (8.4%) had musculoskeletal involvement. Of the patients, 74% were immigrants from the Indian subcontinent; nearly 50% had spinal involvement; 24 patients underwent surgical intervention; 29 were subjected to either diagnostic or therapeutic radiological intervention; and resolution of symptoms was achieved in 59 out of 61 cases.
Conclusions:
This study highlights the high proportion of musculoskeletal TB in immigrant patients in an area with a relatively large at-risk population, but will also serve to alert physicians, in areas with smaller at-risk populations, of the possibility of musculoskeletal TB.
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