Tuberculosis in African Americans: clinical characteristics and outcome

This study examined the clinical characteristics and outcome of pulmonary tuberculosis in African Americans hospitalized in a teaching hospital in south-central Los Angeles from May 1992 through April 1994. The charts of 41 African Americans with culture-positive Mycobacterium tuberculosis were reviewed. Predisposing factors for pulmonary tuberculosis were identified in nearly half of cases. Cough and fever were the most common symptoms. Seventy-six percent had positive acid-fast bacilli (AFB) smears. Nine patients were human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive, and 6 of 9 HIV-positive patients had positive AFB smears whereas 17 of 19 HIV-negative patients had positive AFB smears. Radiographic changes were not significantly different between HIV-positive and HIV-negative patients. Drug resistance was identified in nine of 31 patients (29%). Eight of 41 patients (19.5%) died, with 2 being drug resistant. Human immunodeficiency virus infection was a major predisposing factor for tuberculosis, and no statistical differences were found in radiographic features or AFB smear positivity between HIV-positive and HIV-negative patients. Drug resistance and mortality were disproportionately high. These results indicate that HIV infection and drug resistance are major problems that predispose for tuberculosis infection and make its treatment difficult.