Prevalence of Respiratory Fungal Infections in Patients with Pulmonary Tuberculosis: A Study of 100 Patients

ABSTRACT

Background: Pulmonary Fungal infection has been increasing recently due to widely used broad-spectrum antibiotics and steroids. Due to immune deficiency or suppression in tuberculosis (TB), patients are responsible to developed opportunistic fungal infections. The aim of the present study was to isolate fungi from sputum samples of proven with pulmonary tuberculosis which may help in the correct diagnosis of these patients Materials and Methods: The cross sectional observational study done in 100 prove Pulmonary tuberculosis Patients for the presence of fungal in tertiary health centre during the period of 4.3.2022 to 24.5.2022 the inclusion criteria were sputum samples from patient diagnosed with Pulmonary Tuberculosis as per RNTCP guidelines and Exclusion criteria of this study were Patients taking any form of anti fungal therapy and extra pulmonary tuberculosis. Result: Out of 100 sputum samples, 45 were positive for fungal infection. Of these, 39 were positive for Candida species while 6 for Aspergillus species. Candida albicans, tropicalis and krusei were found in 19, 17 and 3 samples respectively; while Aspergillus niger and flavus were found in 4 and 2 samples respectively. 33 males and 6 females were infected with Candida species and rest with Aspergillus species (p-value=0.0485). Most of the study participants (22) with positive samples for fungal infection belonged to the age group of 20-29 years. In comparison of identification of Candida species between CHROM agar and VITEK-2, no difference was reported between identification of candida species with CHROM agar and VITEK-2. (TABLE:7). Conclusion: As there is a high prevalence of fungal infections recorded in patients with PTB and it may cause severe infection, So identification of fungal species is very important for proper diagnosis and early treatment of fungal infection.

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