Tuberculosis in a SARS outbreak.
Preoccupied with the diagnosis of SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) in a SARS outbreak, doctors tend to overlook other endemic diseases, such as tuberculosis. Incorrectly labeling a patient as SARS may result in serious consequences. Single isolation being not always possible, the patient may have to be isolated with a group of SARS patients. The following article reports how a young girl suffering from pulmonary tuberculosis was erroneously diagnosed as SARS in an outbreak. Isolated with other SARS patients, she was infected with the virus. The treatment of SARS and tuberculosis resulted in liver dysfunction. Fortunately, the patient recovered uneventfully. The importance of keeping an open mind in an outbreak is highlighted.
Wong
Chak-Yen
CY
Wong Tai Sin Hospital, Hong Kong, PROC. emmanuellewong@yahoo.com
Wong
King-Ying
KY
Law
Tse Sam Grace
TS
Shum
Tak-Tai
TT
Li
Yu-Kai
YK
Pang
Wai-Keung
WK
D000293:Adolescent; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D005260:Female; D005334:Fever / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D006723:Hong Kong / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D045169:Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000150:complications* / Q000628:therapy
D000998:Antiviral Agents; D012254:Ribavirin; D000410:Alanine Transaminase