Respiratory Tract Aspergillosis And Tuberculosis

Clinical and radiological characteristics of aspergillosis are very similar to tuberculosis. This prompted us to investigate the prevalence of respiratory tract Aspergillus sp. in the sputum of patients suspected of pulmonary tuberculosis. Two hundred sputa samples were studied for Aspergillus sp. and Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Analysis for Aspergillus sp. was done by direct microscopy and fungal culture on two sets of Sabouraud Dextrose Agar. Mycobacterium tuberculosis was analysed by the Auramine-phenol fluorochrome technique. Aspergillus sp were isolated from 30(15%) patients, M. tuberculosis was found in 27(13.5%) and a co infection of 9(4.5%) was observed. Aspergillosis is common in individuals suspected of pulmonary tuberculosis in Fako Division. Once diagnosed, itraconazole should be the treatment of choice since it was observed to be very effective against all Aspergillus isolates.