The Magnitude Of Tuberculosis Infection In Nephrology Unit, Zagazig University Hospital

tuberculosis (TB) (known in the past as the “White Plague”) is the most important single infectious cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide. Patients on HD are at increased risk of developing active tuberculosis after primary infection, activation of quiescent disease, or reactivation of old tuberculous infection. This is particularly important in areas where the disease is endemic.The presentation of TB in uremic patients is relatively uncommon and insidious. Moreover, diagnosis and management have many special challenges for the physicians carrying out the treatmentIn this study, we examined Forty patients with ESRD maintained on regular hemodialysis for more than five years in Internal Medicine department (Nephrology and Dialysis Unit), Zagazig University Hospitals. They were selected randomly from all patients in nephrology unit. We also examined twenty apparent healthy Nurses are working in nephrology unit as a health worker susceptible to infection.We screened ESRD patients and nurses, in respect to manifestations of tuberculosis, risk factors for tuberculosis infection and diagnostic test included TST, QFTGIT and PCR. Twenty two patients (55 %) were males and 18 (45 %) were females, with a mean age of about 47 years. All nurse enrolled in the study are females with mean age of 33 years.The results of this study showed that: TST positivity rate was 15%, while QFTGIT positivity rate was 20% in ESRD patients. As regarding prevalence of latent tuberculosis infection among the ESRD patients enrolled in our study, we observed that 17.5% of patients have chest radiology suggestive prior TB infection and/or family history of tuberculosis.