Prevalence of Invasive Aspergillosis Among (PTB) Patients in Kanchipuram, India.
BACKGROUND
Tuberculosis (TB) remains a major health problem worldwide. (PTB) is commonly associated with secondary aspergilloma. Repeated exposure of Aspergillus spores can aggravate the bronchial pathology and can manifest as asthmatic episodes.


OBJECTIVE
Pulmonary invasive aspergillosis is difficult to evaluate. Culture based diagnosis is time consuming. Hence (PCR) was done to evaluate the invasive fungal aspergillosis in (PTB) patients.


METHODS
Eighty sputum samples collected from TB patients were processed as per standard protocol. Species level identification was done using PCR.


RESULTS
Among 80 patients, 26 isolates were obtained, only 8 were Aspergillus species. All Aspergillus were taken up for PCR evaluation.


CONCLUSIONS
Fungal infection should be suspected in all sputum positive patients. PCR is an effective tool to diagnose invasive aspergillosis.
Assistant Professor, Department of Microbiology, Meenakshi Medical College and Research Institute , Enathur, Kachipuram, Tamilnadu, India .
Sivasankari
S
S
Assistant Professor, Department of Microbiology, Meenakshi Medical College and Research Institute , Enathur, Kachipuram, Tamilnadu, India .
Senthamarai
S
S
Assistant Professor, Department of Microbiology, Meenakshi Medical College and Research Institute , Enathur, Kachipuram, Tamilnadu, India .
Anitha
A
C
Assistant Professor, Department of Microbiology, JIPMER , Pondicherry, Tamilnadu, India .
Apurba Sankar
AS
Sastry
Assistant Professor, Department of Microbiology, PIMS , Pondicherry, Tamilnadu, India .
Sandhya
S
Bhatt
Tutor, Department of Microbiology, Meenakshi Medical College and Research Institute , Enathur, Kachipuram, Tamilnadu, India .
Kumudhavathi
K
M S
Professor & HOD, Department of Microbiology, Meenakshi Medical College and Research Institute , Enathur, Kachipuram, Tamilnadu, India .
Amshavathani
A
S K
Aspergillus; Polymerase chain reaction; PulmonaryTuberculosis