Genexpert for Abdominal Tuberculosis

Abstract

We read with keen interest the paper on abdominal tuberculosis by Udgirkar and colleagues where the authors reported a large number of patients with abdominal tuberculosis from Western India (1). This report is one of the few reports which have highlighted the use of GeneXpert for diagnosis of abdominal tuberculosis. Previous reports have suggested that the positivity of GeneXpert in intestinal tuberculosis to be 8% and 32% respectively (2,3). Bellam et al. also found one patient to have rifampin resistance amongst their cases (3). As per the findings reported by Udgirkar et al.,

Small‐Bowel Obstruction Caused by Tuberculous Strictures in an Infant

“…Intestinal TB can manifest itself as an acute or subacute obstruction that settles conservatively. Strictures of the small bowel that may be associated with obstruction are uncommon, and among 80 children with abdominal TB, only five had intestinal strictures (3).…”