PURPOSE: To determine the incidence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis bacteremia in a general hospital and to describe the clinical characteristics, therapy, and outcome of patients with bacteremic tuberculosis. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Clinical charts of all patients in whom M tuberculosis was isolated from blood cultures during a 5-year period were reviewed. Mycobacterium tuberculosis was detected by means of a nonradiometric blood culture system. RESULTS: Of 285 patients with culture-proved tuberculosis in whom blood cultures were obtained, 50 (14%) had M tuberculosis bacteremia. Of 42 patients analyzed, 34 (81%) were infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and eight (19%) were not infected with HIV. Blood was the only or the first positive specimen in 14 patients (33%). Most HIV-infected patients (79%) were intravenous drug users, and 40 (88%) had clinical and/or radiologic evidence of involvement of one or more organs. Lungs were affected in 71% of the patients. In-hospital mortality was 18% in HIV-infected patients with mycobacteremia. Among eight non-HIV-infected patients, four had an underlying disease, and none was immunosuppressed. Disseminated disease was diagnosed in three patients. Two patients died as a consequence of tuberculosis in this group. CONCLUSIONS: Mycobacterium tuberculosis bacteremia is common in HIV-infected patients and is possible in nonimmunosuppressed subjects. Blood cultures are helpful in making the diagnosis of tuberculosis and can help establish a diagnosis of disseminated infection.
PURPOSE: To determine the incidence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis bacteremia in a general hospital and to describe the clinical characteristics, therapy, and outcome of patients with bacteremic tuberculosis. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Clinical charts of all patients in whom M tuberculosis was isolated from blood cultures during a 5-year period were reviewed. Mycobacterium tuberculosis was detected by means of a nonradiometric blood culture system. RESULTS: Of 285 patients with culture-proved tuberculosis in whom blood cultures were obtained, 50 (14%) had M tuberculosis bacteremia. Of 42 patients analyzed, 34 (81%) were infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and eight (19%) were not infected with HIV. Blood was the only or the first positive specimen in 14 patients (33%). Most HIV-infectedpatients (79%) were intravenous drug users, and 40 (88%) had clinical and/or radiologic evidence of involvement of one or more organs. Lungs were affected in 71% of the patients. In-hospital mortality was 18% in HIV-infectedpatients with mycobacteremia. Among eight non-HIV-infectedpatients, four had an underlying disease, and none was immunosuppressed. Disseminated disease was diagnosed in three patients. Two patients died as a consequence of tuberculosis in this group. CONCLUSIONS:Mycobacterium tuberculosis bacteremia is common in HIV-infectedpatients and is possible in nonimmunosuppressed subjects. Blood cultures are helpful in making the diagnosis of tuberculosis and can help establish a diagnosis of disseminated infection.
Authors: J Hernández; A Jaramillo; G I Mejía; P Barón; V Gomez; M A Restrepo; J Robledo Journal: Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis Date: 2010-08-24 Impact factor: 3.267
Authors: D K Lewis; Rph Peters; M J Schijffelen; Grf Joaki; A L Walsh; J G Kublin; J Kumwenda; S Kampondeni; M E Molyneux; E E Zijlstra Journal: Malawi Med J Date: 2003-06 Impact factor: 0.875
Authors: Scott K Heysell; Tania A Thomas; Neel R Gandhi; Anthony P Moll; François J Eksteen; Yacoob Coovadia; Lynette Roux; Palav Babaria; Umesh Lalloo; Gerald Friedland; Sarita Shah Journal: BMC Infect Dis Date: 2010-12-06 Impact factor: 3.090