Analysis of epidemiological characteristics of extrapulmonary tuberculosis from South-Central China.

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the epidemiological and drug resistance (DR) characteristics of extrapulmonary tuberculosis (EPTB) in South-Central China. Methods: EPTB inpatients who were culture-positive for Mycobacterium tuberculosis were retrospectively included in a study at a provincial TB hospital in Hunan, a province in South-Central China, from January 2013 to December 2021. Demographic, clinical, and drug susceptibility data were retrieved from TB treatment records. Descriptive statistical methods and a Chi-squared test were used to analyze the epidemiological and DR characteristics of EPTB patients. A logistic regression model was used to explore the risk factors of rifampicin-resistant/multidrug-resistant (RR/MDR)-EPTB. Results: A total of 1,324 cases were included. The majority of EPTB patients were in the age range of 20-29 years, were predominantly men (male-to-female ratio: 2.03), and were farmers (65.63%). Most EPTB cases were found in 2013 and 2017 from 2013 to 2021. The most prevalent subtypes of EPTB were lymphatic TB (29.83%, 395/1,324), multiple EPTB (20.85%, 276/1,324), and musculoskeletal TB (14.65%, 194/1,324). Musculoskeletal TB and genitourinary TB predominantly presented as exclusive EPTB forms, while lymphatic TB and pharyngeal/laryngeal TB often co-occurred with pulmonary TB (PTB). Drug susceptibility testing results showed that total DR rates (resistance to any of RFP, isoniazid [INH], streptomycin [STR], and/or ethambutol [EMB]) and RR/MDR rates in EPTB were 25.23% and 12.39%, respectively. Musculoskeletal TB exhibited the highest rates of total DR (31.40%), INH resistance (28.90%), STR resistance (20.10%), EMB resistance (6.20%), MDR (13.90%), and poly-DR (6.70%). The multivariable logistic regression model showed that patients aged from 20 to 59 years (compared to those aged 10 years), workers (compared to retirees), and EPTB patients from the south and west of Hunan (compared to those from the east of Hunan) were at an increased risk of developing RR/MDR EPTB (all OR values > 1). Conclusion: Our study provided a detailed account of the epidemiological and DR characteristics of EPTB in Hunan province, China. The significant DR rates, particularly in musculoskeletal TB cases, highlight the need for timely diagnosis, effective drug susceptibility testing, and the development of more effective treatment regimens for EPTB, especially targeting musculoskeletal TB treatments.

Rare Extrapulmonary Tuberculosis: Covert symptoms and Diagnostic Dilemma.

Background: Pulmonary tuberculosis may result in haematogenous and lymphatic extension in case of failure of early detection, or immunocompromised status, leading to extrapulmonary tuberculosis. Rare sites of extrapulmonary tuberculosis include the gastrointestinal tract, musculoskeletal system, genital tract, middle ear and pericardium. Histopathological findings of macro-confluent granuloma with or without caseous necrosis, along with detection of acid-fast bacilli (AFB) on Ziehl-Neelsen (ZN) staining, and GeneXpert for detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis DNA, are key in establishing a diagnosis of tuberculosis. Methodology: Biopsy-proven extrapulmonary granulomatous lesions were included in this study. Histopathological evaluation of all extrapulmonary biopsy specimens sent to the Department of Pathology were done for the presence of granuloma and necrosis, and ZN staining for AFB was done in all the cases of granulomatous lesions with or without the presence of necrosis. The same cases, with biopsy specimens sent in normal saline, were re-evaluated in a molecular laboratory with the help of GeneXpert MTB to detect the DNA of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. All biopsy specimens from extrapulmonary sites which were sent to the Department of Pathology were used for DNA extraction. Results: Out of the 10 cases of extrapulmonary granulomatous lesions, 8 showed caseous necrosis on microscopy, and 7 showed the presence of acid-fast bacilli on Ziehl-Neelsen staining. GeneXpert detected DNA of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in 9 cases. Conclusion: Extrapulmonary tuberculosis rarely occurs as primary, and mostly spreads from lung parenchyma via a haematogenous route. Tuberculosis of the gastrointestinal tract, peritoneum, lymph nodes, and solid viscera are together termed abdominal tuberculosis. Entities like tuberculosis of the pericardium and ear are extremely rare. Extrapulmonary tuberculosis should be a differential in cases of chronic non-responding cases with diagnostic dilemmas. To avoid diagnostic delay, in cases of high suspicion, one should go for biopsy along with ZN staining for diagnostic confirmation as this is cost-effective, followed by GeneXpert for Mycobacterium tuberculosis in highly suspected cases with absent caseous necrosis and negative ZN staining.

Prevalence of vitamin D deficiency and the effect of vitamin D3 supplementation on response to anti-tuberculosis therapy in patients with extrapulmonary tuberculosis.

BACKGROUND: We aimed to assess serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 (25(OH)D3) concentrations in extrapulmonary tuberculosis (EPTB) patients and to evaluate the effect of vitamin D3 supplementation on their treatment course. METHODS: Serum 25(OH)D3concentrations were measured in 47 newly diagnosed EPTB patients and 42 controls. Vitamin D-deficient EPTB patients were randomly assigned to receive 50,000 IU of vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) orally once a week for 6 weeks (total 300,000 IU), followed by maintenance doses of 1000 IU a day besides anti-TB drugs or the first line anti-TB treatment only. Follow up serum 25(OH)D3 concentrations were measured after 3 months of starting vitamin D3 supplementation. Both groups were evaluated for clinical, laboratory, and radiological outcomes after treatment. RESULTS: Serum 25(OH)D3 concentrations were significantly lower among TB cases (17.1 ± 5.5 nmol/L) compared to healthy controls (51.8 ± 27.3 nmol/L), and vitamin D deficiency was observed in all EPTB patients (n = 47). Patients in VD3 supplementation group had significantly higher weight gain and serum albumin level at 2 months and end of treatment, higher hemoglobin concentration at the end of treatment, significantly lower CRP and ESR at 2 months and at the end of treatment. In cases with TB pleurisy, a significant higher rate of full resolution of pleural fluid after 6 months of anti-TB treatment and shorter treatment duration were noted compared to the other group. CONCLUSIONS: Vitamin D deficiency is prevalent in EPTB patients, in whom, vitamin D supplementation is a useful adjunctive therapy to anti-TB drugs and improves treatment course.

Gingiva as the primary site of extrapulmonary tuberculosis: A rare case report with brief review of literature.

Multiple strains of Mycobacteria cause tuberculosis (TB), a chronic, specific infectious granulomatous disease. It mainly occurs with pulmonary involvement when compared to extrapulmonary involvement. Primary oral occurrence is uncommon and oral lesions are usually secondary to pulmonary involvement. When there are no active pulmonary clinical manifestations of TB, the diagnosis of the very rare entity of primary gingival TB poses a great challenge to clinicians. In this case report, we discuss a case of primary gingival TB in a 24-year-old lactating mother. This article briefs the onset and course of the lesion during pregnancy and postpartum, elaborates the pathway to diagnosis, various investigations performed and the regimen of antitubercular therapy for 6 months, followed by complete resolution of the lesion without recurrence. This report also describes the significance of considering TB as a differential diagnosis in oral lesions and the various diagnostic methods available. It also emphasizes the sole importance of histopathology in the early detection of the lesion and its management.

Primary extrapulmonary tuberculosis diagnosis warrants extra-precautious pulmonary tuberculosis exclusion workup.

This editorial article takes an opportunity to apprehend the diagnostic challenges of primary gastrointestinal tuberculosis (an uncommon extrapulmonary tuberculosis condition) utilizing the recently published case report of a young male with prolonged gastrointestinal symptoms and weight loss who received intermittent anti-tubercular treatment and underwent operative interventions to relieve gastric outlet obstruction. The diagnosis chiefly relied on high-end examinations, like computed tomography scans and histopathological evaluation of post-operatively resected bowel tissue, which wasn't preceded by an all-inclusive stepwise primary pulmonary tuberculosis exclusion approach that usually begins with a detailed tuberculosis-pertinent history acquisition. Given the geographic locations where the patient had been (and/or treated), pivotal consideration of tuberculosis-associated endemicities in those regions, like human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, might have improved the case description. The obtainment of HIV-relevant histories, like intravenous drug use and sexual practice, are good places to start. The sputum bacteriology also seems imperative to rule out atypical Mycobacterium species infection because of its clinico-radio-histopathological resemblance with pulmonary Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Altogether, this editorial aims to underscore that primary extrapulmonary tuberculosis diagnosis should comprise an elaborative, comprehensive, systematic, and stepwise primary pulmonary Mycobacterium tuberculosis exclusion workup.

Targeted nanopore sequencing using clinical specimens for the rapid diagnosis of extrapulmonary tuberculosis.

BACKGROUND: The clinical presentation of extrapulmonary tuberculosis (EPTB) is atypical and it is easily confused with other diseases such as common infections, making prompt diagnosis a great challenge. This study aimed to evaluate the accuracy of targeted nanopore sequencing (TNS) in the diagnosis of EPTB. The diagnostic accuracy of TNS using different types of extrapulmonary specimens was also evaluated. METHODS: We reviewed the clinical data of patients with suspected EPTB for whom TNS was conducted and who were hospitalized at our center. The true positive, false positive, false negative, and true negative values were determined. Indices of diagnostic accuracy were computed, including sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), and area under the curve (AUC) for TNS and acid-fast bacilli (AFB) culture, and compared with those from clinical diagnosis. RESULTS: 149 patients were included in the analysis. The overall sensitivity, specificity, PPV, NPV, and AUC of TNS for the diagnosis of EPTB were 86.4%, 87.5%, 97.3%, 55.3%, and 0.87, respectively. For diagnosis by AFB culture, these values were 25.6%, 100.0%, 100.0%, 20.5%, and 0.63, respectively. The most common specimens used were lymph node tissue, cerebrospinal fluid, pleural effusion, and pleural tissue. The diagnostic accuracy of TNS using all types of extrapulmonary specimens was good. CONCLUSIONS: TNS demonstrates good diagnostic accuracy in the rapid diagnosis of EPTB and this was true across different types of extrapulmonary specimens.

Diagnostic Yield of Urine Xpert MTB/RIF Ultra in Adults With Suspected Extrapulmonary Tuberculosis.

We assessed the diagnostic yield of urine GeneXpert MTB/RIF Ultra and factors associated with a positive test among adult patients suspected to have extrapulmonary tuberculosis. Urine Ultra was positive in 14% of participants with definite or probable tuberculosis. Hospitalization, disseminated tuberculosis, and human immunodeficiency virus infection were associated with a positive result.

Analysis on epidemiological and drug resistance characteristics of lymph node tuberculosis from Hunan province, China.

Objectives: To investigate the clinical epidemiological and drug resistance (DR) characteristics of lymph node tuberculosis (LNTB) in Hunan Province which locates in South-central China, and to provide scientific clues for effective prevention and treatment of LNTB. Methods: We retrospectively collected LNTB patients with Mycobacterium tuberculosis culture positive at Hunan Chest Hospital, the biggest TB reference hospital in South-central China, from January 2013 to December 2021. The multiple demographic, clinical and drug susceptibility data of patients were collected from the hospital's electronic patient records. Descriptive statistical methods, Chi-square test and logistic regression analysis were employed as statistical methods. Results: Of the 577 LNTB cases, 373 (64.64%) were males, 352 (61.01%) were farmers; majority (161, 33.10%) aged at 20-29 years old; 147 (25.48%) had simple LNTB, 350 (60.66%) had LNTB combined with pulmonary TB (PTB) (defined as LNTB-PTB), and 80 (13.86%) had LNTB combined with other extrapulmonary TB (EPTB) (defined as LNTB-EPTB). A total of 345 (59.79%, 345/577) LNTB patients had cervical node infection, and the simple LNTB patients (81.63%, 120/147) had higher proportion of this infection than LNTB-PTB (51.71%, 181/350) and LNTB-EPTB (55.00%, 44/80) (both p values <0.017), respectively. LNTB-EPTB was more inclined to have abdominal tuberculous LNs (20%, 16/80) and at least four tuberculous lesions (22.50%, 18/80) than simple LNTB and LNTB-PTB. Seventy-seven (13.34%) and 119 (20.62%) were resistant to rifampicin (RIF) and isoniazid (INH), respectively; 72 (12.48%) were multi-drug resistant (MDR), and a total of 150 (26.00%) were DR (resistant to at least one of RIF, INH, ethambutol and streptomycin). LNTB patients aged 30-34 and 50-54 years old (compared to those aged <30 years) were independent predictors of RIF resistance (RR) (ORs were 3.47 and 2.83, respectively; 95% CIs were 1.64-7.35 and 1.08-7.46, respectively). Conclusion: Our study disclosed the epidemiological and DR characteristics of LNTB in Hunan Province, China. High LNTB prevalence was found in younger people while high RR LNTB prevalence was found in older ones, suggesting that we should conduct further studies to clarify the occurrence of RR in LNTB, meanwhile, strengthen the diagnoses and treatments of LNTB to prevent the emergence of RR.

Nanopore-based targeted next-generation sequencing of tissue samples for tuberculosis diagnosis.

Objective: Diagnosing tuberculosis (TB) can be particularly challenging in the absence of sputum for pulmonary tuberculosis cases and extrapulmonary TB (EPTB). This study evaluated the utility of nanopore-based targeted next-generation sequencing (tNGS) for diagnosing TB in tissue samples, and compared its efficacy with other established diagnostic methods. Methods: A total of 110 tissue samples from clinical cases were examined. The sensitivity and specificity of tNGS were benchmarked against a range of existing diagnostic approaches including hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining in conjunction with acid-fast bacilli (AFB) detection, HE staining combined with PCR, HE staining paired with immunohistochemistry (IHC) using anti-MPT64, and the Xpert Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB)/rifampicin (RIF) assay. Results: The sensitivity and specificity of tNGS were 88.2 and 94.1%, respectively. The respective sensitivities for HE staining combined with AFB, HE staining combined with PCR, HE staining combined with IHC using anti-MPT64, and Xpert MTB/RIF were 30.1, 49.5, 47.3, and 59.1%. The specificities for these methods were 82.4, 88.2, 94.1, and 94.1%, respectively. Analysis of drug resistance based on tNGS results indicated that 10 of 93 TB patients (10.75%) had potential drug resistance. Conclusion: Targeted next-generation sequencing achieved higher accuracy than other established diagnostic methods, and can play a crucial role in the rapid and accurate diagnosis of TB, including drug-resistant TB.

Immune Thrombocytopenic Purpura and Ganglionic Tuberculosis: An Unlikely Link.

Tuberculosis (TB) is one of the leading infectious causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Either in its pulmonary (PTB) or extrapulmonary forms (EPTB), TB has a wide variety of manifestations, including hematological ones like thrombocytosis (especially in PTB) and thrombocytopenia (mainly with disseminated or miliary TB). Hematological manifestations are infrequently presenting features of TB, and within them, immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP)-associated TB is one of the rarest presenting features. We report a case of a 22-year-old woman with a diagnosis of ganglionic tuberculosis (GTB) presenting with ITP. The therapeutic approach was challenging and included the use, originally, of intravenous immunoglobulin 30 mg/day for five days and, posteriorly, of high-dose corticosteroids (dexamethasone 40 mg/day) and anti-tubercular therapy with satisfactory outcomes.

Multi-centric evaluation of Truenat MTB and MTB-RIF Dx assays for diagnosis of extrapulmonary tuberculosis.

Extra-pulmonary TB (EPTB) is difficult to diagnose due to paucibacillary nature of disease. Current study evaluated accuracy of Truenat MTB and MTB-Rif Dx (TN), for detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis and resistance to rifampicin. Samples were collected from 2103 treatment naive adults with presumptive EPTB, and tested by smear microscopy, liquid culture (LC) (MGIT-960) and GeneXpert MTB/RIF (GX) (Microbiological Reference Standards, MRS). TN results were compared to MRS and Composite Reference Standards (CRS, Microbiology, histopathology, radiology, clinical features prompting decision to treat, response to treatment). CRS grouped patients into 551 confirmed, 1096 unconfirmed, and 409 as unlikely TB. TN sensitivity and specificity was 73.7% and 90.4% against GX. Against LC, Overall sensitivity of GX was 67.6%, while that of TN was 62.3%. Highest sensitivity by TN was observed in pus samples (89%) and highest specificity (92%) in CSF samples, similar to GX. TN sensitivity was better in fluid and biopsy samples and slightly inferior for lymph node aspirates compared to GX. TN sensitivity for RIF resistance detection was slightly superior to GX. TN and GX results were further compared to Clinical Reference Standards. TN detected 170 TB patients initiated on treatment missed by GX, while GX detected 113 such patients missed by TN. Of 124 samples with RIF resistance discordance between GX and TN, GX reported 103/124 as sensitive, 3/124 as indeterminate and 18 as resistant (13/18 samples had low/very low DNA load) while TN reported RIF resistance indeterminate in 103/111 low/very low DNA load samples. Due to paucibacillary nature of EPTB samples, culture yield was poor and phenotypic drug susceptibility testing failed to resolve the discordance. The study establishes TN at par with GX and can be utilized for quick and accurate diagnosis of EPTB.

Factors Associated With Extrapulmonary Tuberculosis in Southeastern Mexico: A Case-Control Study.

INTRODUCTION: Extrapulmonary tuberculosis (EPTB) is a disease that can affect any organ or tissue. Due to its potential to cause more dangerous sequelae and the barriers to its timely diagnosis, greater clinical awareness of this disease is crucial. This study aimed to identify the factors associated with EPTB in the population of Oaxaca, Mexico. METHODS: This is an unpaired case-control study. The cases were patients with EPTB+ while the controls were patients with pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB+) registered in the Tuberculosis Epidemiological Surveillance System. Sociodemographic, clinical, and microbiological variables were recovered. Bivariate analyses were performed and logistic regression analyses were performed to calculate the odds ratio (OR). RESULTS: A total of 75 EPTB+ cases and 300 PTB+ controls were included. Of the total sample, 57.1% were men and 60.3% indigenous. The most frequent clinical presentations of EPTB+ were nodal (21.3%), miliary (21.3%), and breast (20.0%). According to logistic regression analysis, age <40 years (OR: 2.25 (95% CI: 1.13-4.49), female sex (OR: 1.92 (95% CI: 1.03-3.56)], urban residence (OR: 2.25 (95% CI: 1.11-4.55)), comorbidity with human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) (OR: 3.46 (95% CI: 1.31-9.10)), dyspnea (OR: 2.67 (1.22-5.82)), and adenopathy (OR: 3.38 (95% CI: 1.42-8.06)) were positively associated with EPTB+. CONCLUSION: These results can serve as a basis for screening EPTB+, thus improving the preventive and diagnostic capacity of local health services, taking as a starting point women under 40 years of age and patients with HIV/AIDS in urban areas, as well as the presence of adenopathy and dyspnea as clinical characteristics of the disease.

Miliary Tuberculosis with Diffuse Pulmonary and Extrapulmonary Involvement.

Teaching Point: In patients coming from countries with a high prevalence of tuberculosis and presenting with chronic infectious disease, tuberculosis with pulmonary and/or extrapulmonary involvement should be included in the differential diagnosis.

Mycobacterium tuberculosis joint infections: A case series.

Tuberculosis is a chronic infectious disease, caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis, that seriously endangers human health. Skeletal tuberculosis is the most common type of extrapulmonary tuberculosis and tuberculous arthritis is the second most common type of skeletal tuberculosis. We report a case series of patients with tuberculous arthritis, two of whom had no joint disease in the past and presented as monoarthritis. The final patient had a history of rheumatoid arthritis, with polyarthritis that was aggravated during treatment with glucocorticoids and immunosuppressive drugs. This series of cases can contribute to early diagnosis and treatment with appropriate infection control measures.

A Case of Hepatic Tuberculosis in a Patient on Adalimumab for Ankylosing Spondylitis.

Hepatic tuberculosis (TB) is an uncommon extrapulmonary manifestation of tuberculosis. Hepatic TB is more common in immunocompromised patients, such as those on immunosuppressive medications or those with a human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. Primary hepatic TB is rare, and liver involvement is often secondary to spreading from the lymphatics, portal vein, or hepatic artery. We report a case of hepatic TB in a patient on adalimumab for ankylosing spondylitis (AS).

Tuberculosis Extrapulmonar como Linfopatía Cervical: Revisión Sistemática y Presentación de Caso Clínico

La tuberculosis es una infección bacteriana causada por Mycobacterium tuberculosis que afecta a millones de personas en todo el mundo. Aunque principalmente se manifiesta en los pulmones, también puede afectar otras partes del cuerpo, como la regiónes de la cabeza y el cuello. Aunque es poco común, se han reportado casos de tuberculosis en glándulas parótidas, tonsilas palatinas y seno piriforme. La forma más común de tuberculosis extrapulmonar en esta región es la linfadenopatía superficial, que afecta principalmente los nódulos linfáticos del territorio cervical anterior. Los linfonodos afectados por tuberculosis presentan características específicas en la ecografía, lo que puede ayudar en el diagnóstico. El diagnóstico de tuberculosis extrapulmonar se realiza mediante pruebas como la citología por aspiración con aguja fina (PAAF) o la reacción en cadena de la polimerasa (PCR). Estas pruebas permiten detectar la presencia de Mycobacterium tuberculosis en los tejidos afectados. El tratamiento de la tuberculosis implica el uso de antibióticos antituberculosos durante un periodo prolongado. Es importante seguir el tratamiento completo para asegurar la erradicación de las bacterias y prevenir la recurrencia de la enfermedad. En este artículo, se presenta una revisión sistemática de la literatura de tuberculosis extrapulmonar en la región de la cabeza y cuello y un caso de un paciente sexo masculino de 81 años de edad, que se presentó con un aumento de volumen submandibular izquierdo de 3 semanas de evolución, con hipótesis diagnóstica de submaxilitis idiopática. Presentaba múltiples adenopatías supraclaviculares, mediastínicas e hiliares, y en conjunto a scanner, biopsias, cultivos y test dio resultados positivos para tuberculosis que se manifestó de forma extrapulmonar.

Tuberculosis is a bacterial infection caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis that affects millions of people around the world. Although it manifests primarily in the lungs, it can also affect other parts of the body, such as the head and neck regions. Although rare, cases of tuberculosis in the parotid glands, palatine tonsils, and piriform sinus have been reported. The most common form of extrapulmonary tuberculosis in this region is superficial lymphadenopathy, which mainly affects the nodules of the anterior cervical area. Lymph nodes affected by tuberculosis present specific characteristics on ultrasound, which can help in diagnosis. The diagnosis of extrapulmonary tuberculosis is made through tests such as fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) or polymerase chain reaction (PCR), which allow the presence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in the affected tissues to be detected. Treatment of tuberculosis involves the use of anti-tuberculosis antibiotics for long periods of time. It is important to follow the complete treatment to ensure the eradication of bacteria and prevent recurrence of the disease. In this article, we present a systematic review of the literature on extrapulmonary tuberculosis in the head and neck region and case of an 81-year-old male patient, who presented with a 3-week increase in left submandibular volume with a diagnostic hypothesis of idiopathic submaxilitis. The patient had multiple supraclavicular, mediastinal and hilar lymphadenopathy; following scan, biopsies, and cultures, the patient tested positive for tuberculosis that manifested extrapulmonarily.

Isolated Pyomyositis of the Thigh With a Sinus Tract: A Rare Presentation of Tuberculosis.

Muscular tuberculosis as a primary focal lesion in an immunocompetent individual without any underlying bone involvement is a rare finding. The authors present a case of a young female in her 30s who presented with complaints of recurrent discharging sinus in the posteromedial aspect of the proximal right thigh for eight months. The patient was treated by surgical debridement followed by antitubercular therapy (ATT) and has shown full recovery during the post-eight-month treatment period. Such a presentation of primary tubercular pyomyositis imposes a diagnostic as well as a therapeutic challenge.

Dynamics of Matricellular Protein Levels in Blood Predict Recovery in Patients with Human Immunodeficiency Virus-Tuberculosis Coinfection.

Chronic immune activation in tuberculosis (TB) associated with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection (HIV/TB) modifies their clinical course. We prospectively measured osteopontin (OPN), full-length galectin-9 (FL-Gal9), and total-Gal9 (T-Gal9) levels in 32 patients with HIV/TB coinfection treated with anti-tuberculosis and antiretroviral therapies over 6-18 months to determine the amelioration of inflammatory conditions in response to the therapies. We observed a significant time-dependent decrease in FL-Gal9 in both pulmonary TB (PTB, n = 20) and extrapulmonary TB (EPTB, n = 12) patients. The levels of T-Gal9, OPN, and CRP decreased significantly after treatment in only PTB patients. We calculated the inflammatory score (INS) indicating immunologic recovery based on the decline in OPN, FL-Gal9, T-Gal9, and CRP levels. Baseline levels of T-Gal9 and OPN positively correlated with INS in all TB and only PTB patients, respectively, indicating that their levels predict better recovery. In contrast, FL-Gal9 levels at the second visit negatively correlated with INS in EPTB patients. The decrease rate in OPN levels at the second visit also correlated positively with INS in PTB patients. Women showed a higher INS and lower levels of FL-Gal9 than men. The patients with moderate grade severity on chest X-ray had higher CD4 cell numbers than those with limited grade severity. Monitoring these markers will help to predict and assess the response to therapy as well as to devise strategies to reduce the complications caused by chronic immune activation in patients with HIV/TB coinfection.

A Case of Primary Tuberculous Parotitis Mimicking Parotid Neoplasm: A Rare Clinical Entity.

Primary tuberculous parotitis is an extremely rare entity presenting with nonspecific symptoms, variable clinical signs, and imaging features mimicking parotid neoplasm. It is a clinical and diagnostic challenge, and a confirmed histological diagnosis would indicate nonoperative management, thus avoiding unwarranted surgery and associated morbidity. Tuberculosis of the salivary gland is a relatively rare extrapulmonary manifestation of tuberculosis, with the incidence of tuberculous parotitis being 2%-9%. The prevalence of disseminated tuberculosis has increased in recent times because of the use of immunosuppressive therapy for organ transplantation and chemotherapy. However, the incidence of concurrent pulmonary tuberculosis in patients with tuberculous parotitis is a rarer scenario. Fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) can confirm the diagnosis of tuberculous parotitis with a high sensitivity (84%-100%) and specificity (94%-100%). The utility of FNAC is also enhanced as the aspirate can be utilized for cartridge-based nucleic acid amplification test (CBNAAT) testing for mycobacterium and drug sensitivity testing, thereby further increasing its sensitivity and specificity. This translates to a lesser chance of unnecessary surgical intervention and the potential surgical morbidity. Here, we report a case of parotid swelling in a 72-year-old male, with no evidence of any pulmonary or systemic tuberculosis, with clinical and imaging features suggestive of parotid neoplasm but diagnosed as tubercular parotitis on FNAC. He was started on antitubercular therapy, which resulted in the progressive diminution of the size of the lesion. Primary tuberculous parotitis should be considered a possibility while managing the parotid neoplasm.