Extra Pulmonary Tuberculosis (EPTB): A Diagnostic Enigma and how to Improve Detection?

Tuberculosis (TB), for many centuries, has been the most important of human infections in its global prevalence, devastating morbidity and massive mortality. The term EPTB has been used to describe isolated occurence of TB at body sites other than the lungs. The most common anatomic sites affected by extrapulmonary TB are lymph nodes, pleura, bones & joints. Material & Method: The SOP in our laboratory was to screen any sterile body fluid and exudate specimen received for AFB, irrespective of requisition. Result: During the study period, a total of 1572 sterile body fluid and exudate specimen were received at the Clinical Microbiology Laboratory for bacterial culture & sensitivity. Among the 1572 specimen screened, 06 specimens were positive for AFB on smear microscopy. Conclusion: Our findings are based on only by introducing an additional investigation of low sensitivity, i: e smear microscopy. The proportion of cases detected could be higher if Mycobacterial culture or a Rapid molecular method was performed on the specimens.