World Tuberculosis Day 2023: What is Abdominal TB? Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis and Treatment

WORLD TUBERCULOSIS DAY 2023: Tuberculosis or TB is usually a lung disease, which can turn fatal. The pathogen Mycobacterium tuberculosis damages the lungs and causes the contagious disease. The TB bacterium spreads through the air via droplets from sneezes and coughs, or even if they are speaking, laughing or singing.

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Abdominal Tuberculosis occurs in organs of the abdomen, such as the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, peritoneum, solid abdominal viscera and lymph nodes. In this article, we look at the causes, symptoms of Abdominal TB and look at its diagnosis and treatment.

World Tuberculosis Day 2023: Causes

Abdominal Tuberculosis spreads via contact with an infected person, through ingestion of infected saliva or mucus in cough. The infection can also occur from eating meat or drinking milk that contain the disease-causing bacterium. It can also spread into the abdomen region from other nearby organs such as the lungs, from the lymph nodes.

Other causes can be cirrhosis of the liver, diabetes mellitus, malnutrition, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, any malignant disease, corticosteroids, treatments utilising anti-tumour necrosis factor agents or ambulatory peritoneal dialysis of the kidneys.

World Tuberculosis Day 2023: Symptoms

Certain signs of abdominal tuberculosis include pain in the abdomen, diarrhoea, fever, bleeding from the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, intestinal obstruction, weight loss are commonly identified features of intestinal TB. Ascites and abdominal distension are common manifestations of peritoneal TB. GI tract bleeding can become life-threatening in TB patients, but is thought to be rare.

World Tuberculosis Day 2023: Diagnosis

Radiological examinations and bacterial culture yield the most promising results for abdominal tuberculosis diagnosis. CT scans yield faster results compared to MRI though non-contrast MRI, has less radiation exposure compared to CT.

Acid-fast bacillus (AFB) test is also done to confirm the active presence of the TB bacterium in the patient. To detect solid organ lesions, ultrasound-guided aspiration may be used along with laparoscopy. Colonoscopy and biopsy also yield highly accurate results.

World Tuberculosis Day 2023: Treatment

Abdominal TB treatment typically continues for about six to sometimes nine or even 12 months. The drugs, isoniazid, rifampicin, pyrazinamide and ethambutol are used in the treatment of the disease for two months. Surgeries are required if the complications are serious. Additionally, fruits rich in vitamins are highly recommended to counter associated malnutrition.