Epidemiological perspective of drug resistant extrapulmonary tuberculosis

Table 1 Drug resistant-extrapulmonary tuberculosis: Reasons to worry

Drug resistance (including MDR) in cases of EPTB is increasing and now it cannot be considered as rare

Accurate and timely diagnosis and drug susceptibility testing are very difficult and may result into high morbidity and mortality

DR-EPTB is often difficult to treat due to poor penetration of some key anti-tubercular drugs into extra-pulmonary sites (especially in CSF)

HIV and young age are independent key risk factors

Although not contagious but it may co-exist with highly contagious pulmonary manifestation

MDR: Multi-drug resistant; DR-EPTB: Drug resistant-extrapulmonary tuberculosis; CSF: Cerebrospinal fluid; HIV: Human immunodeficiency virus.