[Use of the Xpert® MTB/RIF test in routine screening of new cases of pulmonary tuberculosis in an endemic area]. / Test Xpert® MTB/RIF et dépistage des nouveaux cas de tuberculose pulmonaire en routine dans une zone de haute endémicité tuberculeuse.

BACKGROUND: Developed initially for the diagnosis of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis, the Xpert® MTB/RIF test has shown to be useful for the diagnosis of tuberculosis, especially among HIV-infected subjects. The objective of the study was to determine the contribution of the Xpert® MTB/RIF test for routine pulmonary tuberculosis diagnosis in an endemic area. METHODOLOGY: We undertook a prospective study among patients presenting with cough and sputum. The sputum was submitted to microscopic examination, to the Xpert® MTB/RIF test and cultured by the Mycobacteria growth indicator tube (MGIT) technique. The study compared cases of pulmonary tuberculosis confirmed by a positive sputum culture and cases with cough but negative sputum culture. RESULTS: In multivariate analysis, the factors associated with positive cultures were the following: male gender, cough for more than 2 weeks, loss of weight and fever. The estimated clinical suspicion score consisted of 4 signs each having a coefficient of 1. The sensitivity of each clinical sign varied between 79 and 94%. In 348 cases of negative microscopic examination (composed of 295 cases with score<4 and 53 cases with score=4), the predictive positive value of the Xpert® MTB/RIF was 80% for a score equal to 4 and 40.9% for a score<4. In cases of negative microscopic examination of the sputum, the Xpert® MRT/RIF test should be undertaken if the score=4. CONCLUSION: The diagnosis of tuberculosis in endemic zones could be improved by using the Xpert® MTB/RIF.

[Comparative diagnosis of bacterial pneumonia and pulmonary tuberculosis in HIV positive patients]. / Diagnostic comparé des pneumopathies bactériennes et de la tuberculose pulmonaire chez les patients VIH.

INTRODUCTION: Immunodepression induced by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) modifies the clinical, radiological and microbiological manifestations of pulmonary tuberculosis; leading to similarities between pulmonary tuberculosis and acute community-acquired bacterial pneumonia. A consequence is the high proportion of discordant pre- and post-mortem diagnoses of pneumonia. The aim of our study was to contribute to the improvement in the diagnosis of acute bacterial pneumonia in HIV positive patients in areas where tuberculosis is endemic. METHODS: This retrospective study in HIV positive patients has compared 94 cases of positive smear cases pulmonary tuberculosis and 78 cases of acute community-acquired bacterial pneumonia. RESULTS: Using logistic regression, the following features were positively associated with bacterial pneumonia: the sudden onset of signs (OR=8.48 [CI 95% 2.50-28.74]), a delay in the evolution of symptoms of less than 15 days (OR=3.70 [CI 95% 1.11-12.35]), chest pain (OR=2.81 [CI 95% 1.10-7.18]), radiological alveolar shadowing (OR=12.98 [CI 95% 4.66-36.12) and high leukocytosis (OR=3.52 [CI 95% 1.19-10.44]). These five variables allowed us to establish a diagnostic score for bacterial pneumonia ranging from 0 to 5. The area under the ROC curve was 0.886 [CI 95% 0.84-0.94, P<0.001]). Its specificity was >96.8% for a score of greater than or equal to 4. CONCLUSION: The diagnostic score for acute community-acquired pneumonia may improve the management of bacterial pneumonia in areas where tuberculosis is endemic.

[Non-tuberculous pleural infections versus tuberculous pleural infections]. / Atteintes pleurales non tuberculeuses versus atteintes pleurales tuberculeuses.

INTRODUCTION: In countries where tuberculosis is endemic, the main differential diagnosis for pleural infection by common bacteria is pleural tuberculosis. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of our study was to determine the differences between pleural infection by common bacteria and that caused by pleural tuberculosis. METHODOLOGY: Our study was a retrospective analysis and compared the characteristics of confirmed pleural infection by common bacteria (PIB) and that due to pleural tuberculosis (PT). RESULTS: For the PIB, the signs evolved for 2.4 ± 1.4 weeks versus 5.6 ± 2.2 weeks for the PT (P=0.01). In multivariate analysis, for PIB the onset of symptoms was more abrupt (OR=3.8 [1.5; 9.9]; P=0.01), asthenia was less frequent (OR=0.3 [0.1; 0.9]; P=0.03), pleural liquid was more purulent (OR=40.0 [15.0; 106.7]; P<0.01). The blood neutrophil count was more frequently raised in cases of PIB (OR=2.5 [1.2; 5.4]; P=0.02). Pneumothorax/hydropneumothorax was less frequent in PIB (OR=0.3 [0.1; 1.0]; P=0.04). CONCLUSION: Clinical differences exist between pleural effusions caused by tuberculosis (TB) and those due to other bacterial infections. However, they are not sufficiently sensitive and therefore the search for the tuberculous bacillus must be systematic while waiting for implementation of new diagnostic tests for the organism.

[Predictive factors of lost to follow-up status during tuberculosis treatment]. / Facteurs prédictifs du statut « perdus de vue ¼ au cours du traitement de la tuberculose.

INTRODUCTION: Patients with contagious tuberculosis who are lost to follow-up risk sowing the disease among their circle of acquaintances. Moreover, a history of inadequate anti-tuberculous treatment is an important risk factor for the development of drug-resistant organisms. The purpose of this study was to identify risk factors for loss to follow-up among patients undergoing treatment for tuberculosis. METHODOLOGY: We performed a prospective cohort study among patients with contagious tuberculosis, beginning with anti-tuberculous treatment followed during six months, after initial education-information about their condition. We compared the characteristics of 152 patients lost to follow-up from tuberculosis treatment against those of 492 patients who were not lost to follow-up. RESULTS: Independent factors associated with a reduction in the risk of being lost to follow-up were: the presence of night-sweats (OR=0.46 [0.24-0.88]; P=0.018), the presence of thoracic pain (OR=0.27 [0.14-0.54]; P<0.001), screening for HIV (OR=0.41 [0.17-0.98]; P=0.045), fact to inform a person of its disease (OR=0.06 [0.01-0.41]; P=0.004), the application of directly observed treatment in the community (OR=0.34 [0.17-0.66]; P<0.001). CONCLUSION: Reducing loss to follow-up during treatment for tuberculosis requires the development of a "good attitude" through education-information about tuberculosis.