EXTRAPULMONARY TUBERCULOSIS - REVIEW AND FEASIBILITY OF REDUCING TIMEFOR SPECIFIC TREATMENT

Extrapulmonary tuberculosis accounts for 15 to 30 per cent of all tube rculosis. Before the onset of HIV epidemic, as rates of pulmonary tube rculosis decreased, rates of extrapulmonary disease remained constant. At present extrapulmonary tuberculosis is more common among patients with HIV infection. The mortality rate of dissemniated tuberculosis an d tuberculous meningitis reaches yet about 20 per cent in spite of pro gress in diagnosis and treatment. Beside these two most dangerous pres entations, the four most frequent involvements are in order of importa nce : lymph nodes, pleural, genito-urinary tract and skeleton. Because of multiple anatomical and clinical presentations and with a review o f the literature, it is difficult to establith rules in order to reduc e the delay of treatment of extrapulmonary tuberculosis.