A Study of Abdominal tuberculosis in North Indian Patients

Abstract

Abdominal tuberculosis is defined as infection of the peritoneum, hollow or solid abdominal organs with Mycobacterium tuberculi. The peritoneum and the ileocaecal region are the most likely sites of infection and are involved in the majority of the cases by hematogenous spread or through swallowing of infected sputum from primary pulmonary tuberculosis.The 40 patients were enrolled in to the study. The age group of the patients are from 20-50 years. The patients visited to Out Patient Department (OPD) and in-patient department (IPD) of a tertiary care hospital in North India were considered in the study. All patients, where diagnosis of tuberculosis was confirmed, received three-drug anti-tubercular regimen. There was no post-operative mortality. Inspite of specific anti tuberculosis drugs and vast measures against the disease, including chemoprophylaxis and pasteurisation abdominal tuberculosis remains a fairly common disease even today. Young adults between 20-40 years are the most commonly affected.