Magnetic resonance imaging findings in spinal tuberculosis: Comparison of HIV positive and negative patients

Background:

There is an increasing incidence of Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and tuberculosis (TB) co-infection. This has led to an increasing number of atypical features on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). We postulated that the type 4 hypersensitivity response causing granulomatous inflammation may be disrupted by the HIV resulting in less vertebral body destruction. This study compares the MRI features of spinal tuberculosis in HIV positive and negative patients.

Materials and Methods:

Fifty patients with confirmed spinal tuberculosis, HIV status and available MRI scans at a single institution from 2003-2009 were identified. HIV status was positive in 20 and negative in 30. Females were predominant (34:16). The HIV positive group was younger at 32.4 versus 46 years (P=0.008). Blood parameters (WCC, ESR, Hb, Lymphocyte count) were not significantly different between the HIV groups. MRI scans were reviewed by a radiologist who was blinded to the HIV status. Site, extent of disease, body collapse, abscess location and volume, kyphotic deformity and cord signal were reported.

Results:

There was no difference between the number of vertebral bodies affection with TB involvement, presence of cord signal or incidence of non-contiguous lesions. The HIV negative group had significantly more total vertebral collapse (P=0.036) and greater kyphosis (P=0.002). The HIV positive group had a trend to larger anterior epidural pus collection (P=0.2).

Conclusion:

HIV negative patients demonstrate greater tuberculous destruction in terms of total percentage body collapse and resultant kyphosis. There is no difference in the incidence of cord signal or presence of non-contiguous lesions. HIV positive patients show a trend to a greater epidural abscess volume. This difference may be explained by the reduced autoimmune response of the type 4 hypersensitivity reaction caused by the HIV infection.     

Tuberculosis and HIV: estimates of the overlap in England and Wales.

BACKGROUND: A study was designed to determine the extent of the interaction between tuberculosis and human immunodeficiency virus infection in England and Wales. METHODS: Data were obtained from the United Kingdom national AIDS surveillance and the Medical Research Council tuberculosis notification surveys in England and Wales (1983 and 1988). The proportion of patients reported with AIDS known to have had tuberculosis and the proportion of patients notified with tuberculosis known to have HIV infection were estimated. RESULTS: Of the 4360 patients with AIDS reported by 30 June 1991, 200 (4.6%) were in patients reported to have had tuberculosis. Only one of the 3002 patients (0.03%) reported in the 1983 survey of tuberculosis notifications in England and Wales was known to be infected with HIV compared with nine of 2163 patients (0.42%) in the 1988 survey. CONCLUSION: Although the reported number of cases of HIV infection with tuberculosis in this country is increasing it remains small. Complete reporting of cases of AIDS and notification of cases of tuberculosis are essential to enable the two infections to be monitored as the HIV epidemic develops. Special studies, such as those reported here, will need to be undertaken regularly to assess the future extent of the interaction.     

An estimate of the contribution of HIV infection to the recent rise in tuberculosis in England and Wales

BACKGROUND: The number of patients with tuberculosis has been increasing slowly in England and Wales since the late 1980s. HIV infection has been a contributory factor to increases in tuberculosis in a number of comparable industrialised countries. This study investigated the extent of tuberculosis and HIV co-infection in England and Wales in 1993 and 1998, and estimated its contribution to the increase in tuberculosis observed during this period. METHODS: Patients aged 16-54 years old at diagnosis on the 1993 and 1998 National Tuberculosis Survey databases were matched with those on the HIV/AIDS patient database. A coded process maintained patient confidentiality. Primary outcome measures were the increase between 1993 and 1998 in the numbers with both infections reported and an estimate of the proportion of the increase in tuberculosis during this period attributable to HIV co-infection. RESULTS: In 1993 61 (2.2%) tuberculosis patients aged 16-54 years matched with patients reported to the HIV database, increasing to 112 (3.3%) in 1998 (p=0.08; OR 1.35; 95% CI 0.97 to 1.87). Patients co-infected with HIV contributed an estimated 8.5% of the increase in number of tuberculosis patients between 1993 and 1998 nationwide (11% in London). In both years prevalence of co-infection was greatest in London and in patients of white and black African ethnic groups. CONCLUSIONS: In 1998 the number of tuberculosis patients co-infected with HIV in England and Wales, though still small, had nearly doubled since 1993, with most of the increase occurring in London. As HIV infection may be undiagnosed in patients with tuberculosis, and tuberculosis may be unreported in patients with diagnosed HIV infection, the true extent of co-infection will have been underestimated by this study. In addition, constraints in coded matching make it inevitable that some reported co-infections are missed. Routine HIV testing of all patients with tuberculosis should now be considered, particularly in patients of white or black African ethnic origin under 55 years of age.     

HIV／AIDS患者口腔行为及病损的调查和分析

目的了解HIV感染者和AIDS患者口腔健康行为及口腔病损的特点。方法以来本院就诊的55例HIV/AIDS患者为调查对象,对口腔健康行为进行问卷调查,对其口腔卫生状况、口腔黏膜及牙周病损进行临床检查,就CD4细胞计数和出血指数、菌斑指数进行相关性分析。结果 55例HIV/AIDS患者口腔卫生习惯和卫生状况较差,有口腔科就诊史的有34例（61.8%）,曾在传染病医院就诊的仅有1例（2.94%）;HIV相关口腔病损患者有20例（36.4%）,普通牙周病患者有42例（96.3%）,CD4细胞计数和出血指数、菌斑指数之间无显著相关性。结论随着抗病毒药物的应用,HIV/AIDS相关口腔病损发病率明显降低,而普通牙周病发病率较高,可能与口腔卫生不良有关。HIV/AIDS患者就诊口腔科的随意性强,口腔科医生在诊疗中要加强防护意识。     

Isolated cervical tuberculosis in patients with HIV infection

OBJECTIVE: Tuberculosis isolated to the head and neck region is common in patients with HIV infection. However, the management of isolated head and neck tuberculosis has not been reported in the literature. This study was done to describe the characteristics of tuberculosis isolated to the head and neck region in patients infected with HIV and to detect differences in presentation and diagnostic management based on the status of HIV infection at presentation. METHODS: A retrospective study was performed including 38 patients infected with HIV who were seen with tuberculosis isolated to the head and neck region at two tertiary care centers during a 10-year period. These patients were divided into two groups on the basis of the HIV status at presentation, which indirectly reflects the level of immunosuppression. Group 1 included 11 patients (29%) with AIDS at presentation. Group 2 included 27 patients (71%) with HIV infection but not AIDS. RESULTS: The cervical lymphatics were the most common site for isolated head and neck tuberculosis (89%), with the supraclavicular nodes most often involved (53%). Extralymphatic involvement was less common (11%), but involved a variety of anatomic locations (skin, spinal cord, larynx, parotid). The presenting history and physical examination had a low sensitivity for tuberculosis in patients with HIV infection, mainly because of the presence of multiple confounding factors. Purified protein derivative testing was highly sensitive for tuberculosis in patients with HIV infection alone (61%); however, its usefulness was diminished in patients with AIDS (14%; p = 0.03). Fine-needle aspiration biopsy was 94% sensitive for diagnosing tuberculosis and was not affected by the status of HIV infection. Surgical biopsy was the gold standard for diagnosing tuberculosis but was associated with chronically draining fistulas in a significant number of cases (14%). CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that tuberculosis should be considered in the differential diagnosis of all head and neck lesions in patients infected with HIV, even in the absence of pulmonary involvement. Purified protein derivative testing should be done liberally in these patients, with realization that the sensitivity of purified protein derivative testing is reduced in patients with AIDS. Fine-needle aspiration biopsy should be the key diagnostic test in this patient population, with open surgical biopsy reserved for highly suspicious cases in which other measures were not diagnostic. (Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 1998;118:766-70.)     

The growing impact of HIV infection on the epidemiology of tuberculosis in England and Wales: 1999 2003

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have estimated the prevalence of tuberculosis and HIV infection in population subgroups in the UK. This study was undertaken to describe recent trends in the proportion of individuals with HIV infection among reported cases of tuberculosis in England and Wales, and to review the implications for clinical and public health care. METHODS: A population-based matching study using national surveillance databases was used to investigate all persons aged 15 years and over reported with a diagnosis of tuberculosis to the Health Protection Agency in England and Wales in 1999-2003. Record linkage was used to match the national tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS surveillance databases to identify all cases of tuberculosis and determine the proportion of patients with tuberculosis co-infected with HIV. The distribution and characteristics of the cases were determined and the trend examined by year. RESULTS: Of 30,670 cases of tuberculosis reported in England and Wales between 1999 and 2003, an estimated 1743 (5.7%) were co-infected with HIV. There was a year on year increase in the proportion from 3.1% (169/5388) in 1999 to 8.3% (548/6584) in 2003 (p for trend <0.0001). Co-infected patients contributed to almost a third of the increase in the number of cases of tuberculosis during the 5 year period. Patients co-infected with HIV were predominantly those born abroad. 18.5% (n = 323) of co-infected patients had not been reported as active cases of tuberculosis on the national tuberculosis database. CONCLUSION: The proportion of patients with tuberculosis co-infected with HIV in England and Wales is increasing, with the greatest impact on those born abroad regardless of their ethnic origin. With HIV infection contributing substantially to the increase in the number of cases of tuberculosis, close cooperation in the clinical management and accurate notification of patients is vital if appropriate care and public health action is to be achieved.     

Identification of HIV patients with active pulmonary tuberculosis using urine based polymerase chain reaction assay

BACKGROUND: Despite the increased dissemination of tuberculosis among HIV infected patients, the diagnosis is difficult to establish. Traditional microbiological methods lack satisfactory sensitivity. We have developed a highly sensitive and specific nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) capable of detecting Mycobacterium tuberculosis DNA in urine specimens and have used this test to examine urine specimens from HIV patients with active pulmonary tuberculosis. METHODS: Urine specimens from 13 HIV infected patients with microbiologically proven active pulmonary tuberculosis, 10 AIDS patients with non-tuberculous mycobacterial infection (documented by blood culture), 53 AIDS patients with no evidence of mycobacterial disease, and 80 healthy subjects (25 with positive skin test to purified protein derivative) were tested for M tuberculosis using PCR, acid fast staining (AFS), and culture. RESULTS: Of the urine specimens from patients with active tuberculosis, all tested positive by PCR, two by culture, and none by AFS. No reactivity was observed in urine specimens from patients with non-tuberculous mycobacterial infection. Of the 53 AIDS patients without mycobacterial infection, one had a positive urine PCR. Normal subjects were all negative. CONCLUSIONS: Urine based nested PCR for M tuberculosis may be a useful test for identifying HIV patients with pulmonary tuberculosis.     

Mycobacterial infection in HIV seropositive and seronegative populations, 1987-93.

BACKGROUND--Although the causes of the worldwide resurgence of tuberculosis are multifactorial, the HIV epidemic is believed to have had a central role. Control is further threatened by the emergence of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis. METHODS--A retrospective evaluation was undertaken of trends in pulmonary and extrapulmonary culture positive mycobacterial pathology, and the prevalence of drug-resistant tuberculosis in both HIV seropositive and, presumptively, HIV seronegative patients receiving their clinical care at St Mary's Hospital, London. Five hundred and thirty eight patients (188 of whom were known to be HIV seropositive) with positive mycobacterial isolates between January 1987 and March 1993 were identified from laboratory records. These were cross referenced with drug surveillance records. RESULTS--Overall, between 1987 and 1992 there was a progressive 3.5 fold increase in positive mycobacterial isolates and a 2.5 fold increase in patients with proven mycobacterial infection. This increase was greater within the HIV seropositive population. A total of 663 positive mycobacterial isolates was evaluated; the major pathogen identified was Mycobacterium tuberculosis (379 isolates, 57%). Three hundred and fourteen patients were diagnosed as having M tuberculosis, 49 of whom were HIV seropositive. M tuberculosis was predominantly isolated from the lung. Of 358 positive cultures for M tuberculosis (68 HIV seropositive, 290 presumptively HIV seronegative), only 27 isolates (7.6%), almost exclusively derived from presumed HIV seronegative patients, were resistant to either isoniazid, rifampicin, or both drugs together. No increases in drug-resistant isolates were observed over this period. CONCLUSIONS--There has been a considerable increase in the incidence of tuberculosis in both HIV seronegative and seropositive populations during the study period. The emergence of drug-resistant tuberculosis was not observed.     

Infections of the spine in patients with human immunodeficiency virus

BACKGROUND: Musculoskeletal infections in patients with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) have been described. However, the prevalence, specific characteristics, and outcomes of spinal infections in these patients have not been studied in a large group of patients to our knowledge. METHODS: The computerized records of all patients discharged with the diagnosis of spinal osteomyelitis, discitis, epidural abscess, or tuberculosis from our institution from October 1994 through September 2000 were reviewed. Patients with the diagnosis of HIV were identified, and the charts were examined in detail. RESULTS: During the six-year period, 7338 unique patients who were HIV positive were admitted. Seventeen (0.23%) of them were treated for a spinal infection. The prevalence of spinal infection was 23.2 per 10,000 admissions of HIV-positive patients and 7.1 per 10,000 admissions of HIV-negative patients (p < 0.0001). Eight patients who had discitis and/or osteomyelitis had a mean CD4 T-cell count of 339.6 cells/mm(3), and all eight had clinical resolution of the infection after six to twelve weeks of appropriate antibiotic therapy. In contrast, six patients who had spinal tuberculosis had a mean CD4 count of 75.7 cells/mm(3) (p = 0.005), and one of them died during the hospitalization. The remaining three patients, who had epidural abscesses, had a mean CD4 count of 20.67 cells/mm(3) (p = 0.001), and two of them died. CONCLUSIONS: Discitis and/or osteomyelitis occurs in HIV-positive patients with a mild-to-moderate decrease (>/=200 cells/mm(3)) in the CD4 T-cell count, and the infection responds to appropriate antibiotics. Patients with a more severely decreased CD4 count (50 to 200 cells/mm(3)) may have spinal tuberculosis develop, and patients with the lowest CD4 counts are more likely to have epidural abscesses develop. The three fatalities in this study occurred in these two groups of patients. As a group, HIV-positive patients are significantly more likely to have a spinal infection develop than are HIV-negative patients (p < 0.0001). Although the CD4 count can be used as a predictor of the clinical course, identification of the organism remains paramount in the treatment of this complex patient population.     

Coexisting tuberculosis and carcinoma of the colon.

Four cases of coexisting tuberculosis and carcinoma of the colon (CTCC) are reported. All the patients were female and the mean age was 49 +/- 11 years. The tumour involved the right colon in three patients and the distal transverse colon in the other. The two lesions coexisted at the same site in two patients. Mucinous carcinoma was the predominant type seen in three patients. The characteristics of patients with CTCC were compared with those of 54 patients who had carcinoma of the colon (CC) and 17 patients with tuberculosis of the colon (TC) seen during the same period. All the four CTCC patients were female, compared with 13 of 54 patients with CC (P less than 0.001). These two groups were similar in mean age, anatomic sites and histopathological tumour types. The CTCC patients were significantly older than the TC patients (49 +/- 11 years vs 34 +/- 10 years, P less than 0.05). The sex distribution of TC patients was similar to that of CTCC patients, 14 of 17 patients being female. All TC lesions were confined to the right colon. The present study showed a high frequency of carcinoma in patients with colonic tuberculosis, signifying the need for epidemiological and histopathological investigations into the aetiological relationship between the two diseases, the possibility of which was suggested recently by Japanese researchers. The relevant literature on 58 previously reported patients with CTCC was reviewed.     

HIV/AIDS prevalence among South African health workers.

INTRODUCTION: Studies on HIV prevalence among health workers usually focus on occupational exposure to HIV. Little is known about HIV prevalence in this group. However, it is expected that HIV prevalence among health workers will reflect prevalence in their society. OBJECTIVE: To determine HIV prevalence among South African health workers. METHOD: A stratified cluster sample was drawn of 5% of health facilities in South Africa (N = 222) representative of the public and private health sectors in South Africa. The sample was designed to obtain a nationwide representative sample of medical professionals and non-professional health workers. A subsample comprising health workers in four provinces was tested for HIV status. The Orasure HIV-1 device in combination with the Vironostika HIV UNI-Form II plus O enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits were used to collect oral fluid specimens for HIV testing. RESULTS: Based on a sample of 721 health workers and a response rate of 82.5% (or 595 respondents), the study found that an estimated 15.7% (95% confidence interval (CI): 12.2-19.9%) of health workers employed in the public and private health facilities located in four South African provinces, were living with HIV/AIDS in 2002. Among younger health workers, the risk is much higher. This group (aged 18-35 years) had an estimated HIV prevalence of 20% (95% CI: 14.1-27.6%). Non-professionals had an HIV prevalence of 20.3%, while professionals had a prevalence of 13.7%. CONCLUSION: HIV prevalence among health workers in South Africa is high; this calls for the introduction of antiretroviral programmes targeting them. In addition, there is a need for the development of new policy regarding placement of infected health workers in tuberculosis (TB) wards, coupled with vigorous human resource planning to replace the health workers likely to die from AIDS. Infection control procedures also need to be reviewed.     

Surgery of lymphatic malformations in oral and cervicofacial regions in children.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to determine prognostic factors and complication rates related to the surgical management of lymphatic malformations of oral and cervicofacial regions in children. STUDY DESIGN: The charts of 117 children operated on for oral and cervicofacial lymphatic malformations were retrospectively reviewed. Treatment outcomes were analyzed for correlation with several factors, including age at presentation, sex, associated symptoms, anatomical site of involvement, extent of disease, operative complications, histological pattern, and recurrence. The chi(2) test was used to compare treatment failure rates and complication rates between patients with and without these factors. RESULTS: The tongue was the most frequent site of involvement (40.17%). The lesions with oral and facial involvement had a higher failure or recurrence rate (29.23%) than those with cervical involvement (8.33%; P < .05), and lesions with involvement of multiple sites had a higher recurrence rate (48.28%) than those with involvement of a single site or 2 sites (11.67%; P < .01). Although patients who underwent surgical procedure at less than 1 year of age had a higher recurrence rate (28.95%) than those more than 1 year (19.61%) of age, and microcystic lesions had a higher recurrence rate (28.33%) than macrocystic lesions (13.79%), no significant difference was found between them (P > .05). The lesions with involvement of 3 or more sites had significantly higher operative complication rates (37.8%) than those with involvement of 1 or 2 sites (15.58%; P < .01). CONCLUSION: Factors correlated with a worse prognosis in lymphatic malformations of oral and cervicofacial regions include the involvement of the oral cavity and/or face and involvement of multiple anatomical sites, which also may be associated with higher operative complications.     

Surgical treatment of active and sequelar forms of pulmonary tuberculosis

BACKGROUND: The incidence of tuberculosis has risen since 1990, and in some countries, the resistant forms are becoming more and more frequent. Surgical treatment is once again needed to manage these problems. The purpose of this study was to analyze the indications and results of resection, which we performed for pulmonary tuberculosis. METHODS: From 1980 to 1997, 477 patients were operated on for thoracic or intrathoracic tuberculosis in Laennec Hospital, Paris (259 suffered lung diseases). There were 165 women and 94 men, aged 25 to 86 years (mean 46 years), from Europe (n = 148), North Africa (n = 65), Subsaharian Africa (n = 34), Asia (n = 7), and the West Indies (n = 5). This population was reviewed concerning the lung tuberculosis (sequelae or active lesions), the indications of lung resection, the type of resections performed, and the results at 1, 6, and 12 months. RESULTS: Active lesions were present in 97 cases and sequelae in 162. Surgery was performed for a therapeutic purpose in 104 patients with sequelae, and in 10 patients with active tuberculosis (pneumonectomy, n = 19; pleuropneumonectomy, n = 19; lobectomy, n = 54; and segmentectomy, n = 22). Surgery was performed for a diagnostic purpose in 54 patients with sequelae, and in 87 patients with active lesions (lobectomy, n = 32; segmentectomy, n = 19; wedge resection, n = 94, of which 11 performed by video-assisted thoracoscopy since 1991). One patient died after pleuropneumonectomy. We observed 25 complications: empyema, n = 7; hemothorax, n = 2; prolonged air leaks, n = 14; and pneumopathy, n = 2. All patients with active lesions subsequently were given antitubercular drugs. Follow-up was 100% at 1 month, 57% (n = 92) and 77% (n = 75) at 6 months for patients with sequelae and for patients with active lesions, respectively. All were asymptomatic with a normal chest roentgenogram. The number of operations for active lesions is increasing over the years, while it is decreasing for sequelar lesions. CONCLUSIONS: In our department, surgery is being performed more frequently to make a diagnosis in cases of active tuberculosis, and to treat complicated lesions in case of sequelae. Lung resection for active tuberculosis evolving under treatment or for drug resistance was rare. However, our study confirms the good results commonly obtained by surgery and supports the idea that surgery may help eradicate tuberculosis when social and economic circumstances render its medical management difficult or hazardous.     

Patterns of presentation of human immunodeficiency virus type 1-infected children to the paediatric surgeon

PURPOSE/METHODS: Review of the records of infants and children admitted with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection was undertaken to determine the mode and pattern of presentation at the Paediatric Surgical Unit, King Edward VIII Hospital, Durban. RESULTS: Over the 2-year period-December 1994 to December 1996-63 patients with recognised HIV infection presented to the surgical unit. Seventeen were known to have acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Infection was the most common presenting problem (n = 37). In this group, 14 had abscesses, cellulitis, or osteitis. 18 had perineal sepsis-11 had acquired rectovaginal fistulae, two had fistulae-in-ano, one a perianal abscess, two had perineal condylomata, and two had rape-related injuries and sepsis. Three children presented with overwhelming sepsis, one neonate presented with haemorrhagic colitis caused by cytomegalovirus, and one older child presented with oesophageal candidiasis. Generalised lymphadenopathy was the presenting complaint in 14 children. Biopsy results showed nonspecific reactive changes in six children, HIV-reactive changes in five, and tuberculosis in three patients. Ten children presented with non-HIV-related problems; nine were neonates with congenital anomalies. An older child presented with a coin impacted in his oesophagus. Two children presented with tumours-one had a Kaposi sarcoma and one had a Wilms' tumour. CONCLUSIONS: Twenty-six percent had clinical manifestation of AIDS, 19% presented with lesions diagnostic of HIV infection, 22% presented with signs or symptoms that were suggestive of the disease, and 33% were asymptomatic of HIV infection.     

COEXISTING TUBERCULOSIS AND CARCINOMA OF THE COLON

Four cases of coexisting tuberculosis and carcinoma of the colon (CTCC) are reported. All the patients were female and the mean age was 49 ± 11 years. The tumour involved the right colon in three patients and the distal transverse colon in the other. The two lesions coexisted at the same site in two patients. Mucinous carcinoma was the predominant type seen in three patients. The characteristics of patients with CTCC were compared with those of 54 patients who had carcinoma of the colon (CC) and 17 patients with tuberculosis of the colon (TC) seen during the same period. All the four CTCC patients were female, compared with 13 of 54 patients with CC (P < 0.001). These two groups were similar in mean age, anatomic sites and histopathological tumour types. The CTCC patients were significantly older than the TC patients (49 ± 11 years vs 34 ± 10 years, P < 0.05). The sex distribution of TC patients was similar to that of CTCC patients, 14 of 17 patients being female. All TC lesions were confined to the right colon. The present study showed a high frequency of carcinoma in patients with colonic tuberculosis, signifying the need for epidemiological and histopathological investigations into the aetiological relationship between the two diseases, the possibility of which was suggested recently by Japanese researchers. The relevant literature on 58 previously reported patients with CTCC was reviewed.     

Tuberculous osteomyelitis in young children

Twenty-three cases of tuberculous osteomyelitis in children were reviewed. Age at diagnosis ranged from 10 months to 11 years; 17 patients were younger than 3 years. At clinical presentation, patients were generally afebrile with local swelling and painful limb disability. Delay in diagnosis was common, with an average of 4.3 months. Laboratory data showed mild increase in white cell counts and erythrocyte sedimentation rates. However, C-reactive protein levels were all within normal limits except one. Roentgenograms demonstrated osteolytic lesions over metaphyseal areas with surrounding soft-tissue swelling. All patients had received BCG vaccinations at infancy. None of the patients had pulmonary tuberculosis. No familial or environmental history could be attributed to these victims, nor was any immunodeficient disease noted. Bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccination was suspected to be the cause of tuberculosis in these young children. All patients received surgical debridement and oral antituberculosis chemotherapy for 1 year. After an average follow-up period of 71.4 months, all children had complete bony healing and excellent clinical results.     

Tuberculosis after heart transplantation: twenty years of experience in a single center in Taiwan

The incidence of tuberculosis is slightly higher among heart transplantation cases than in the general population in Taiwan. Tuberculosis shows a high mortality rate ranging from 22% to 31% in transplant recipients. From October 1987 to October 2007, we performed 315 heart transplantations. Clinical records were reviewed for demographic data, clinical presentation, treatment, and outcome. Tuberculosis was diagnosed by cultures of any body sample in association with compatible symptoms and signs. Mortality was related to tuberculosis if there was evidence of active tuberculosis at the time of death and no other etiology accounted for death. Ten patients who had received heart transplants were diagnosed as tuberculosis. There were seven pulmonary lesions and seven extrapulmonary lesions. Treatment consisted of isoniazid, rifampin, ethambutol, pyrazinamide, streptomycin, ciprofloxacin, and levofloxacin. Seven patients completed the antituberculosis treatment: the median treatment duration was 1 year. Three patients developed hepatitis. There was no tuberculosis-related mortality. Ten out of a total of 315 patients (3.17%) represented a tuberculosis rate higher than that reported for the general Taiwan population (67/100,000). This high mortality of infection may be completely treated by a combination of at least three drugs except pyrzinamide because of side effects and tolerance.     

Chronic pulmonary function impairment caused by initial and recurrent pulmonary tuberculosis following treatment

BACKGROUND: A study was undertaken to establish the chronic effect of initial and recurrent treated pulmonary tuberculosis on impairment of lung function. METHODS: A total of 27 660 black South African gold miners who had reliable pulmonary function tests from January 1995 to August 1996 were retrospectively followed for the incidence of pulmonary tuberculosis to 1970. The lung function measurements in 1995-6 were related to the number of previous episodes of tuberculosis and to the time that had lapsed from the diagnosis of the last episode of tuberculosis to the lung function test. Miners without tuberculosis or pneumoconiosis served as a comparison group. RESULTS: There were 2137 miners who had one episode of tuberculosis, 366 who had two, and 96 who had three or more episodes. The average time between the diagnosis of the last episode of tuberculosis and the lung function test was 4.6 years (range one month to 31 years). The loss of lung function was highest within six months of the diagnosis of tuberculosis and stabilised after 12 months when the loss was considered to be chronic. The estimated average chronic deficit in forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV(1)) after one, two, and three or more episodes of tuberculosis was 153 ml, 326 ml, and 410 ml, respectively. The corresponding deficits for forced vital capacity (FVC) were 96 ml, 286 ml, and 345 ml. The loss of function due to tuberculosis was not biased by the presence of HIV as HIV positive and HIV negative subjects had similar losses. The percentage of subjects with chronic airflow impairment (FEV(1) <80% predicted) was 18.4% in those with one episode, 27.1% in those with two, and 35.2% in those with three or more episodes of tuberculosis. CONCLUSIONS: Tuberculosis can cause chronic impairment of lung function which increases incrementally with the number of episodes of tuberculosis. Clearly, prevention of tuberculosis and its effect on lung function is important and can be achieved by early detection and by reduction of the risk of tuberculosis through intervention on risk factors such as HIV, silica dust exposure, silicosis, and socioeconomic factors.     

脊柱结核合并肾结核的临床特点及诊断治疗

目的：探讨脊柱结核合并肾结核的l临床特点及脊柱结核与肾结核二者外科治疗间的相互关系。方法：对我科1963～2000年间收治的30例脊柱结核合并肾结核患者的临床表现及诊断治疗进行回顾性分析。结果：30例脊柱结核合并肾结核者全部为18岁以上成年人。骨病灶相对集中于胸腰段及其上下椎体。临床症状以脊柱结核症状为主，而肾结核l临床症状多不典型。均行3～4联抗痨药物规范治疗，手术治疗23例，保守治疗7例。除术中死亡1例外，余29例随访1～10年，平均3年，病变治愈者28例，1例截瘫者大部分恢复，但仍需扶拐行走。结论：脊柱结核合并肾结核者肾结核的临床症状多不典型，易漏诊。脊柱结核伴尿常规异常者应警惕有合并肾结核之可能。脊柱结核合并肾结核的外科治疗应在规范化疗支持下进行，如骨、肾病变均需外科治疗，不论同期或分期手术，均以先处理肾脏病变为宜。     

Tuberculosis in England and Wales in 1993: results of a national survey. Public Health Laboratory Service/British Thoracic Society/Department of Health Collaborative Group

BACKGROUND: A national survey of tuberculosis notifications in England and Wales was carried out in 1993 to determine the notification rate of tuberculosis and the trends in the occurrence of disease by ethnic group in comparison with the findings of similar surveys in 1978/79, 1983, and 1988. The prevalence of HIV infection in adults notified with tuberculosis in the survey period was also estimated. METHODS: Clinical, bacteriological, and sociodemographic information was obtained on all newly notified cases of tuberculosis in England and Wales during the six months from 2 January to 2 July 1993. The prevalence of HIV infection in 16-54 year old patients with tuberculosis notified throughout 1993 was assessed using "unlinked anonymous" testing supplemented by matching of the register of patients with tuberculosis with that of patients with AIDS reported to the PHLS AIDS centre. Annual notification rates were calculated using population estimates from the 1993 Labour Force Survey. RESULTS: A total of 2706 newly notified patients was eligible for inclusion in the survey of whom 2458 were previously untreated the comparable figures for 1988 were 2408 and 2163. The number of patients of white ethnic origin decreased from 1142 (53%) in 1988 to 1088 (44%) in 1993 whereas those of patients of Indian, Pakistani, or Bangladeshi (Indian subcontinent (ISC)) ethnic origin increased from 843 (39%) in 1988 to 1014 (41%) and those of "other" (non-white, non-ISC) ethnic origins increased from 178 (8%) to 356 (14%). The largest increase was seen in the black African ethnic group from 37 in 1988 to 171 in 1993. Forty nine per cent of patients had been born abroad and the highest rates were seen in those who had recently arrived in this country. The overall annual notification rate for previously untreated tuberculosis in England and Wales increased between 1988 and 1993 from 8.4 to 9.2 per 100,000 population. The rate declined in the white, Indian, and black Caribbean ethnic groups and increased in all other groups. In the white group the rate of decline has slowed since the last survey: in several age groups the rates were higher in 1993 than 1988 but the numbers in these groups were small. Thirty six (4.1%) of the 882 previously untreated respiratory cases were resistant to isoniazid and three (0.3%) to isoniazid and rifampicin. Sixty two (2.3%) adults aged 16-54 years were estimated to be HIV-infected. Evidence of under-reporting of HIV positive tuberculosis patients was found. CONCLUSIONS: The number of cases and annual notification rate for previously untreated tuberculosis increased between 1988 and 1993. Although the decline in rates in the white population has continued, the rate of decline has slowed. The high rates in the ISC ethnic group population have continued to decline since 1988 whereas rates in the black African group have increased. An increased proportion of cases were found among people born abroad, particularly those recently arrived in this country. In previously untreated cases the level of drug resistance remains low and multi-drug resistance is rare. A small proportion of adults with tuberculosis were infected with HIV but there may be selective undernotification of tuberculosis in these patients.