*Salim, A. B., and Nabila, M. I.
Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Bayero University, Kano, PMB 3011, Kano, Nigeria
*Correspondence to: ahmadbsalim@gmail.com; +2348033731917
Abstract:
Background: Opportunistic fungal infections have been implicated among patients with tuberculosis (TB). Coexistence of pulmonary mycoses and pulmonary TB is of public health concern as they exhibit similar clinical manifestations among infected patients, which contributes to increased misdiagnosis and makes management difficult, especially in TB-prone regions like Kano, Nigeria. Thus, this study was aimed at determining the prevalence of pulmonary mycoses among patients with suspected pulmonary TB attending the Infectious Disease Hospital (IDH), Kano State, Nigeria.
Methodology: Sputum samples were collected from a total of 155 patients with clinically suspected TB. The samples were analysed for the detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) using GeneXpert in line with the National Tuberculosis and Leprosy Control Program (NTBLCP) standard operating procedures and for the isolation and identification of pulmonary mycoses using cultural methods on Sabouraud Dextrose Agar (SDA) and microscopy techniques including lactophenol cotton blue stain, Gram stain, 10% KOH wet mount and germ tube tests.
Results: Of the total of 155 study participants recruited into the study, 67 (43.2%) were males and 88 (56.8%) were females. Of these, 88 (56.8%) and 31 (20.0%) were positive for pulmonary mycoses by culture and PTB by GeneXpert assay, respectively, while 9.0% (n=16) had pulmonary mycoses-PTB co-infection. Aspergillus spp was the most frequent fungus (n=76, 86.4%) identified while Cryptococcus neoformans and Histoplasma capsulatum were the least frequent, each with 2.3% (n=2).
Conclusion: The high rate of fungal infection (56.8%) among patients with suspected pulmonary TB is a significant public health challenge. There is need for routine screening of all patients with suspected TB for pulmonary mycoses, especially in high TB-burden regions, as this will contribute to improved management and reduction in morbidity.
Keywords: Pulmonary mycoses, pulmonary tuberculosis, GeneXpert, fungal culture, co-infection
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