Pursuing a diagnosis in a Caribbean man

A case study of an HIV-infected Caribbean male with extrapulmonary tuberculosis details his diagnosis, treatment regimens, and follow-up. His presenting symptoms included epigastric pain and fever. Endoscopy and gastric biopsy showed gastritis and helicobacter infection, which were treated symptomatically, and TMP-SMX was given for possible salmonellosis. Serologic tests for common opportunistic infections were negative. After all other expected conditions were ruled out, concurrent symptoms were diagnosed as extrapulmonary tuberculosis, and multi-drug treatment was successfully conducted. The problem of interactions between protease inhibitors and anti-tuberculosis drugs in treating HIV and tuberculosis concurrently is discussed. Three options are addressed: (1) discontinue (or delay starting) the protease inhibitor until at least 6 months of a standard rifampin-containing tuberculosis regimen is completed; (2) discontinue (or delay starting) the protease inhibitor until 2 months of a standard rifampin-containing regimen are completed; and (3) use of rifabutin rather than rifampin.