GASTROINTESTINAL TUBERCULOSIS

Course overview

GASTROINTESTINAL (GI) TUBERCULOSIS (TB) ACCOUNTS FOR 1% TO 3 % OF ALL TB CASES WORLDWIDE. IT CAN OCCUR IN THE CONTEXT OF ACTIVE PULMONARY DISEASE OR AS A PRIMARY INFECTION WITHOUT PULMONARY INVOLVEMENT. THE ILEOCECAL REGION IS THE MOST COMMONLY AFFECTED SITE; HOWEVER, IT CAN INVOLVE ANY PART OF THE GASTROINTESTINAL TRACT (GIT). DIAGNOSIS IS CHALLENGING AND IS OFTEN DELAYED DUE TO ITS NON-SPECIFIC PRESENTATION. GI TB RESPONDS WELL TO STANDARD ANTI-TUBERCULOUS DRUGS. SURGERY IS ONLY REQUIRED IN CASES THAT DEVELOP COMPLICATIONS SUCH AS STRICTURES OR OBSTRUCTION, NOT RESPONDING TO MEDICAL THERAPY. HIGH CLINICAL SUSPICION, EARLY INITIATION OF ANTI-TUBERCULOUS THERAPY, AND INVOLVEMENT OF AN INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM ARE NECESSARY FOR REDUCING MORBIDITY AND MORTALITY. THIS ACTIVITY OUTLINES THE EVALUATION AND MANAGEMENT OF GASTROINTESTINAL TUBERCULOSIS AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN MANAGING PATIENTS WITH THIS CONDITION.