Related Experiment Videos
Tuberculosis of the pleura
1Department of Medicine, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, University of Kentucky School of Medicine, Lexington, USA.
Southern Medical Journal
|July 22, 1998
Summary
Tuberculosis (TB) affecting the pleura is rare in the US, often due to reactivated infections. Co-infection with HIV increases pleural TB risk, necessitating specific diagnostic and treatment approaches.
Area of Science:
- Pulmonology
- Infectious Diseases
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Tuberculosis (TB) is a major global cause of death, with increasing mortality rates.
- Pleuritis is the most frequent extrapulmonary manifestation of TB.
- Shifting epidemiologic trends influence the clinical presentation of TB.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review key features of pleural tuberculosis (TB).
- To highlight recent epidemiologic trends in pleural TB.
- To discuss advancements in the diagnosis of pleural TB.
Main Methods:
- A comprehensive MEDLINE literature search was conducted for pleural tuberculosis.
- Bibliographies of relevant articles were reviewed to identify additional sources.
Main Results:
- Tuberculous pleuritis is infrequently observed in the United States.
- Current cases in the US often stem from reactivation of prior TB infections.
- Individuals with concurrent tuberculosis and HIV infection exhibit a higher incidence of pleural involvement.
Conclusions:
- Closed pleural biopsy is the preferred diagnostic method for pleural TB.
- Novel diagnostic techniques lack favorable performance in low TB incidence regions.
- Anti-TB therapy mirrors that for active pulmonary disease; routine corticosteroid use is not advised.