Miliary Tuberculosis
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[edit] Miliary tuberculosis
This form of TB happens when a blood vessel gets eroded and a large number of TB bacteria get distributed all over the body through the vascular system. "Miliary" pertains to the millet-sized tubercular foci that are distributed throughout the vital organs everywhere.
Each one of these would within days and weeks grow into a caseous mass, which eventually would overcome the patient. This form of TB occurs often in children less than 4 years of age and in older persons with weakened immune systems as well as AIDS patients.
The diagnosis can be very confusing with a fever of unknown origin, general debility and in the case of AIDS with symptoms both due to TB as well as AIDS. Chest X-rays show grain-sized nodules in the lungs. Bronchoscopy with cytological washings and biopsy of suspicious areas in the bronchial tree will lead to the correct TB diagnosis. The histology report will show tuberculous granulomas, but the commercially available polymerase chain reaction to TB is more rapid and very specific. Multi-drug antituberculous therapy is started immediately and will very quickly stabilize and cure the patient's condition.
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