A study of renal tuberculosis in Basra, Iraq

Abstract EN

Renal tuberculosis is the third most frequent form of extra-pulmonary tuberculosis.

About 25 % of cases are asymptomatic.

It is more common in male and in age group 20-40 years.

Urine culture for mycobacteria is the gold standard for the diagnosis.

The aim of this study is to use certain clinical criteria that helps in the diagnosis of renal tuberculosis.

This is a prospective study of patients with recurrent urinary tract infections from September 2009 to September 2012.

Certain clinical criteria were used for the diagnosis.

Thirty five patients with renal tuberculosis were studied.

Seven (20 %) patients had evidence of old pulmonary TB.

The most common presenting complaint was frequency in 43.3 %.

Sterile pyuria in 82.9 %.

The tuberculin skin test was positive in 74.3 %.

The intravenous urography (IVU) showed abnormalities in 82.9 %.

The urine culture for mycobacteria was positive in 5.7 %.

In conclusion, diagnosis of renal tuberculosis require high index of suspicion with the aids of certain clinical criteria and cheap investigations with a high accuracy.