Tuberculosis in pregnancy: interactions, diagnosis, and management

Medical and obstetric outcomes among pregnant women with tuberculosis: a population-based study of 7.8 million births

BACKGROUND

Worldwide, tuberculosis remains a major health concern, with an estimated 9.6 million people infected in the year 2014, of which one-third were women. Tuberculosis is estimated to be even more prevalent in pregnant women than the general population. To date there has been conflicting evidence on the maternal and neonatal complications of tuberculosis in pregnancy.

OBJECTIVE

We sought to determine trends in the incidence of tuberculosis in pregnancy and to examine the associations between tuberculosis in pregnancy and maternal and fetal complications.

STUDY DESIGN

We conducted a retrospective cohort study using the 2003 through 2011 Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project Nationwide Inpatient Sample. We identified hospital admissions during which women with and without tuberculosis delivered. The temporal patterns in incidence of tuberculosis were estimated, as were the rates of pulmonary and nonpulmonary tuberculosis. Multivariate logistic regression was used to examine the adjusted effects of tuberculosis on maternal and neonatal outcomes.

RESULTS

During the study period, there were 7,772,999 births, of which 2064 were to women with tuberculosis, for an overall incidence of 26.6 per 100,000 births. From 2003 through 2011, there was an upward trend in the incidence of tuberculosis from 1.92-4.06 per 10,000 births (P < .0001), mostly due to increasing numbers of nonpulmonary tuberculosis. Compared with noncases, tuberculosis occurred with greater frequency in women who were 25-34 years of age and of Hispanic ethnicity. Significantly more women with tuberculosis had concurrent HIV. In addition, delivery hospitalizations with tuberculosis compared with those without tuberculosis were more likely to experience chorioamnionitis, preterm labor, postpartum anemia, blood transfusion, pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome, and mechanical ventilation. Maternal mortality was significantly increased in women with tuberculosis. Congenital anomalies were higher among babies delivered to women with tuberculosis.

CONCLUSION

The rate of tuberculosis in pregnancy is rising in the United States. Although this increase appears to be mostly due to nonpulmonary disease, there was also a high incidence of maternal respiratory complications, mortality, and postpartum obstetric morbidity.

Tuberculosis in pregnancy: current recommendations for screening and treatment in the USA

The main focus of this review is the management of active and latent tuberculosis in pregnancy in industrialized countries. The review is geared towards the healthcare professional taking care of the obstetric patient. The epidemiology of active and latent tuberculosis in the USA and recommendations for the screening of tuberculosis in pregnancy are considered. The history of treatment methodology and its relationship to the current treatment of active and latent tuberculosis in pregnancy is reviewed, and finally, a discussion of the best time to treat latent tuberculosis in a pregnant patient is undertaken, along with thoughts on future changes and advances in this field.

Assessing the risk of birth defects associated with exposure to fixed-dose combined antituberculous agents during pregnancy in rats

Due to the risks of disease progression and transmission to the newborn, treatment of tuberculosis is often pursued during pregnancy and fixed-dose combined antituberculous agents have been found to be beneficial. Unfortunately, there is paucity of data on the safety of the fixed-dose combined antituberculous drugs during pregnancy. This study intends to assess the teratogenic effect of fixed-dose combined antituberculous drugs on the organogenesis stage of fetal development and also investigate the possible roles of vitamin C in modulating the teratogenic effects of these agents on the fetus using animal model. Pregnant rats were divided into 3 groups with 12 animals per group: group 1 received distilled water (10 mL/kg) orally; group 2 received 51.4 mg/kg/day of fixed-dose combined antituberculous agents orally; group 3 received 51.4 mg/kg/day of fixed-dose combined antituberculous agents plus vitamin C (10 mg/kg/day) orally. Six rats in each group were randomly selected and sacrificed on day 20 by cervical dislocation prior to day 21 of gestation, and the foetuses were harvested through abdominal incision for physical examination. Blood samples were collected from the 1st filial rats of the remaining six animals for biochemical and hematological examination. The liver, kidney, heart, and brain of all the sacrificed animals were used for histopathological examination. There were significant (P ≤ 0.05) low birth weights of the foetuses of the animals that were treated with fixed-dose combined antituberculous agents. The haematological parameters also revealed a reduction in the platelets counts and neutrophiles at the first filial generation. Significant (P ≤ 0.05) elevations in the levels of aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) in the foetuses of the animals treated with fixed-dose combined antituberculous agents were also observed. However, the combination of vitamin C with fixed-dose combined antituberculous agents significantly (P ≤ 0.05) reduced the level of AST. Fixed-dose combined antituberculous agents have teratogenic potential as shown in low birth weight and mild liver damage in the first filial of the treated animals. As much as it is imminent to treat TB patients in pregnancy, there is need to always exercise caution and clinically weigh the risk-benefit ratio.

Tuberculosis in special populations

The susceptibility to infection, the pathogenesis and the clinical manifestations of tuberculosis (TB) depend on the immunological status of the host. Immunological status is largely determined by age and comorbidities, but is also affected by other less well known factors. In Spain, most incidental cases of TB arise from the reactivation of remotely acquired latent infections and are favored by the aging of the population and the use of aggressive immunosuppressive therapies. The diagnosis and management of TB in these circumstances is often challenging. On the one hand, the atypical presentation with extrapulmonary involvement may delay diagnosis, and on the other, the toxicity and interactions of the antituberculous drugs frequently make treatment difficult. Immigration from resource-poor, high incidence TB countries, where the social and economic conditions are often suboptimal, adds a new challenge to the control of the disease in Spain. This chapter summarizes our current knowledge of epidemiological, clinical and treatment aspects of TB in particularly susceptible populations.

Congenital infections associated with international travel during pregnancy

With the overall increase in international travel, there is likely to be an increase in travel during pregnancy as well. In developing countries, pregnant women face exposures that can add significant risk for neonatal morbidity and mortality. Infections that can occur in utero or in the early neonatal period include malaria, yellow fever, tuberculosis, hepatitis, human immunodeficiency virus, leishmaniasis, toxoplasmosis, filariasis, Japanese encephalitis, rubella, typhoid fever, leptospirosis, dengue fever, Helicobacter pylori, and trypanosomiasis. When travel and potential exposure cannot be avoided, preventive measures are usually effective. Pretravel consultation should include careful discussion of length of travel, antimalarial prophylaxis, insect avoidance, food and water hygiene, vaccination, and body fluid precautions.

The management of respiratory infections during pregnancy

Respiratory infections that complicate pregnancy are encountered frequently, and they encompass a broad range of disorders. Although respiratory infections usually are not seen more commonly in pregnancy, they often result in greater morbidity and mortality secondary to the physiologic adaptations that occur during pregnancy. Pregnant patients who have one of these disorders require higher level of surveillance and intervention.

Tuberculosis in pregnancy

There were approximately 2 million deaths worldwide from tuberculosis in 1997, 98% of them in developing countries. Factors implicated in the resurgence of tuberculosis in the United States in the late 80s and early 90s included increased immigration from countries with high prevalence, HIV infection, emergence of resistant strains, poverty, homelessness, drug abuse, and a decline in tuberculosis-related health services. With better control programs, cases began to decrease in 1993. In 1998, 18,361 cases of tuberculosis (6.8 per 100,000 population) were reported to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a 31% decrease from 1992. Pregnancy is not thought to change the course of tuberculosis; however, tuberculosis poses a risk to the pregnant woman and her fetus.

Treatment of Multidrug-Resistant Tuberculosis during Pregnancy: Long-Term Follow-Up of 6 Children with Intrauterine Exposure to Second-Line Agents

Treatment of gestational multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) is controversial. We describe follow-up of 6 children exposed to second-line antituberculous agents in utero. Each child (average age, 3.7 years) underwent comprehensive clinical evaluation. One child had MDR-TB diagnosed. There was no evidence of significant late-presentation toxicity among the children. The results suggest that aggressive management of gestational MDR-TB may benefit both mother and child.

Management of isolated extrapulmonary tuberculosis in a pregnant patient

The worldwide incidence of tuberculosis is increasing, largely as a consequence of both the increasing prevalence of human immunodeficiency virus and the emergence of drug-resistant strains. The pulmonary system is typically the primary site of involvement by this infectious disease; however, extrapulmonary disease does occasionally occur. Although uncommon, neck involvement can occur. The usual presentation is bilateral adenopathy from pulmonary dissemination. Tuberculous cervical adenitis in the absence of pulmonary findings is rare. A concurrent diagnosis of pregnancy complicates the treatment of the infected patient. We present a case of isolated, unilateral tuberculous cervical adenitis in a pregnant patient and discuss the multidisciplinary approach necessary for the appropriate management of this unique situation.

Perinatal tuberculosis and HIV-1: considerations for resource-limited settings

Tuberculosis is the commonest HIV-1-related disease and the most frequent cause of mortality in young women in endemic regions. Tuberculosis and HIV-1 are independent risk factors for maternal mortality and adverse perinatal outcomes, and in combination have a greater impact on these parameters than their individual effects. In referral health centres in southern Africa around one-sixth of all maternal deaths are due to tuberculosis/HIV-1 coinfection. One-third (37%) of HIV-1-infected mothers with tuberculosis are severely immunocompromised, with CD4 counts of fewer than 200 cells/microL compared with 14-19% in mothers recruited into major mother-to-child intervention trials in Europe. Babies born to mothers with tuberculosis/HIV-1 also have higher rates of prematurity, low birthweight, and intrauterine growth restriction. Transmission rates of HIV-1 from mother to infant are around 25-45% in resource-limited settings, while that for mother-to-child-transmission of tuberculosis is 15% within 3 weeks of birth. We highlight this emergent problem, and discuss the dilemmas associated with diagnosis and management of pregnant HIV-1-infected mothers with tuberculosis, and their newborn babies.

Treatment of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis during pregnancy: a report of 7 cases

Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) is a global public health problem affecting women of childbearing age. Little is known, however, about the safety of the drugs used to treat MDR-TB during pregnancy. We describe 7 patients who were treated for MDR-TB during pregnancy. These patients had chronic tuberculosis that had caused extensive parenchymal damage and had high-grade resistance to antituberculous drugs. All patients received individualized antituberculous therapy prior to delivery of healthy term infants. Neither obstetrical complications nor perinatal transmission of MDB-TB was observed. One patient experienced treatment failure, and another abandoned therapy. The other 5 patients are currently cured or in treatment and have culture-negative status. In each of these 7 cases, excellent treatment outcomes were obtained for the women and their children. Under certain circumstances, MDR-TB can be successfully treated during pregnancy.

Tuberculosis mortality and recent childbirth: a retrospective case-control study of Gibraltarian women, 1874-1884

Prior to the introduction of effective treatment for pulmonary tuberculosis, there was little consensus on the potential health risk of pregnancy among infected women. While, intuitively, pregnancy was viewed as a risk for tuberculosis disease and mortality, early studies could not establish such a link with any great certainty. Our case study combines the methods of family reconstitution and a case-control approach to explore the possibility that the physiological and social strains of recent childbirth and the early mothering of infants may have been risk factors in adult female tuberculosis mortality in late 19th-century Gibraltar. The study is based on 244 reproductive age women who died between 1874 and 1884; some 55% of these deaths were attributed to tuberculosis. The record linkage indicates that almost 12% of the women who died had given birth within the year preceding their death. Factoring in the effects of age at death, marital status, and religion, the logistic regression results indicate that recent childbirth did not increase the risk of tuberculosis mortality among these women.

[Central nervous tuberculosis in patients non-VIH: seven case reports]

PURPOSE

Tuberculosis involving the central nervous system (CNS) is rarely observed in non immuno-compromised hosts. We report herin the various clinical, biological and radiological manifestations observed in 7 patients with CNS tuberculosis.

METHODS

Clinical and biological records of 7 patients with CNS tuberculosis were retrospectively studied. All patients had encephalic CT-scan and MRI in the course of the disease.

RESULTS

5 women and 2 men with a mean age of 38.4 years initially initially presented with headache (n = 6), fever (n = 5), meningeal irritation (n = 3), localizing neurological signs (n = 1). Lumbar punction revealed lymphocytic meningitis (n = 6/7). Mycobacterium tuberculosis or bovis was isolated in 3 patients only. Cerebral tomodensitography or magnetic resonance imaging were initially normal in most of cases (n = 4/7), but discovered in the course of disease basilar meningitis (n = 6), hydrocephalus (n = 6), abcess or tuberculoma (n = 4). In all the patients, initiation of the treatment was complicated by clinical and/or biological deterioration, called paradoxal reaction, leading in all cases to glucocorticoid adjunction, with various final results. Indeed, 4 patients developed neurological sequelae. No patient died.

CONCLUSION

CNS tuberculosis is a rare disease in non immunocompromised patients whose diagnostic may be difficult due to the absence of specific clinical symptoms, negative initial radiological examination, as well as delayed and often negative bacterial isolation. Paradoxal reaction appeared to be frequent despite specific antibiotherapy and underlines the beneficial effects of addictive corticosteroids.

The resurgence of disease: social and historical perspectives on the 'new' tuberculosis

The resurgence of tuberculosis is one of the most serious global public health challenges of the twenty-first century. This paper argues that the decline of tuberculosis since the nineteenth century is far better understood than its resurgence over the last twenty years. It is suggested that insights gained from the historical study of disease may provide a better analytical framework for understanding the contemporary dynamics of disease epidemiology than the current emphasis on the bio-medical and behavioural characteristics of individual patients. It is concluded that tuberculosis research requires a combination of advances in bio-medical knowledge with a broader understanding of the evolving relationship between disease and modern societies.

Drug treatment for tuberculosis during pregnancy: safety considerations

Untreated tuberculosis in pregnancy poses a significant threat to the mother, fetus and family. Adherence to treatment is especially difficult in pregnancy because of the general fear of any medication and pregnancy-related nausea. Supervised treatment is especially helpful in encouraging adherence. All 4 first line drugs [isoniazid, rifampicin (rifampin), ethambutol and pyrazinamide] have an excellent safety record in pregnancy and are not associated with human fetal malformations. Drug-induced hepatitis, especially with isoniazid, is a significant problem in treating tuberculosis, not peculiar to pregnancy; close monitoring of liver function is recommended. Liver enzyme induction by rifampicin alters the metabolism of other drugs, e.g. methadone doses will need to be increased. Streptomycin should not be used in pregnancy, as perhaps 1 in 6 babies will have problems with hearing and/or balance. Ciprofloxacin has the best safety profile of second line drugs in the treatment of drug-resistant tuberculosis. Preventive treatment with isoniazid can be undertaken safely during pregnancy. Pyridoxine (vitamin B6) should be added to the drug treatment of tuberculosis in all pregnant women taking isoniazid. Neither tuberculin nor the bacille Calmette Guérin (BCG) vaccine are treatments for tuberculosis, but they play an important role in the management of the disease. Tuberculin testing is safe, but BCG vaccination should be avoided in pregnancy and instead given earlier in life.

Diagnosis and management of respiratory tract infections for the primary care physician

Respiratory tract infections cause nearly half of deaths owing to infectious disease in the United States. This article has discussed the management of several common respiratory tract infections, with an emphasis on appropriate diagnosis and use of antimicrobial agents. Understanding the cause of various respiratory tract infections enables primary care physicians to avoid unnecessary antibiotic use, decreasing adverse effects owing to medications and preventing the rise in antimicrobial resistance.

Pulmonary tuberculosis in pregnancy

Tuberculosis (TB) was once a formidable public health hazard but is now less feared because of the development of an armamentarium of effective drugs. The incidence of TB had been declining for decades until recently when the number of cases of TB began to rise. The most obvious reasons for this trend were the rising rate of human immunodeficiency virus infection and the development of multiple drug-resistant TB. The largest percentage increase in TB cases occurred among persons 25 to 44 years of age; many of them are women. A number of these women will first be diagnosed with TB infection during pregnancy. It is important for the clinician to be aware of the impact of TB on this population. Patients must be screened as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention because it is important to quickly diagnose TB. Prompt and effective therapy will benefit the mother and the neonate. This article reviews the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment regimens of TB in pregnancy, as well as the effects on the HIV patient, the neonate, and breastfeeding. Prompt recognition and treatment of TB infection will ensure that the rates of TB cases decline.

Management of tuberculosis. Choosing an effective regimen and ensuring compliance

Management of active TB requires a team approach. All patients newly diagnosed with TB should be tested for HIV infection. Currently available anti-TB drug regimens are well tolerated and highly effective. Directly observed therapy has shown improved survival and decline in the rate of new cases of active TB. In suspected or proven drug-resistant TB, the regimen should be individualized in consultation with a specialist experienced in MDR TB. Primary care physicians play a pivotal role in reducing morbidity and emergence of drug resistance through early diagnosis and prompt initiation of an effective regimen under directly observed therapy.

Evaluation of the teratogenic potential of pyrazinamide in Wistar rats

We have tested Pyrazinamide (PZA), an essential component of modern short-course tuberculosis treatment regimen, for teratogenicity using Wistar rats. The drug was given by oral intubation from 6-15 days of gestation, at doses of 0, 25, 100 and 500 mg/kg body weight per day. Reduction in body weight and food consumption were observed in the treated dams. On day 20 of gestation, all the dams were killed by cervical dislocation and signs of maternal toxicity, reproductive indices and fetal measurements were recorded. Dams given doses of 100 and 500 mg/kg had significantly higher incidence of reabsorbed fetuses, reduced litter size, and impaired neonatal growth than those given no PZA or only 25 mg/kg dose. External visceral and skeletal examination of all fetuses of PZA-treated dams showed several types of variations which were neither dose related nor having a consistent pattern. However, these variations occurred mostly in the dams treated with the dose of 500 mg/kg. In conclusion, these data show that in Wistar rats, only high doses of PZA (100 and 500 mg/kg) produced fetotoxicity. No evidence of teratogenic effect of the drug was observed.

Cryptococcal pneumonia complicating pregnancy

In the present report we describe 4 previously healthy women who developed cryptococcal pneumonia during pregnancy, and 1 pregnant woman with cryptococcal meningitis. These cases illustrate a previously uncharacterized spectrum of cryptococcal disease. We also discuss 24 patients previously reported who had cryptococcal meningitis during pregnancy. Finally, we review the available data for each therapeutic option and present an algorithm for management based on appraisals of disease severity and risk to the unborn fetus. This report emphasizes the need for heightened awareness of cryptococcosis in the differential diagnosis of pneumonia, chest pain, and hypoxemia in the pregnant patient, but at present, there are insufficient epidemiologic data to determine whether incidences of pulmonary or disseminated cryptococcosis actually increase during pregnancy. The risk of congenital cryptococcosis to the unborn fetus is low, and the most likely mechanism whereby neonates acquire invasive fungal pulmonary infection is through aspiration. While it is unclear whether there is any real increased risk of spontaneous abortion or premature labor, the data indicate that overall fetal outcome depends on effective treatment of maternal infection. For patients with dense air-space consolidation, progressive pulmonary disease, or dissemination, antifungal therapy is necessary. Optimal treatment is determined by the acuity and severity of the clinical presentation. Amphotericin B (approximately 1 g) with or without flucytosine represents the choice for initial treatment of the more acutely ill patient with disseminated or progressive pulmonary cryptococcosis who requires hospitalization (whether during or after pregnancy). Oral fluconazole appears to be safe and effective alternative therapy after delivery for the less severely ill patient who can be managed on an outpatient basis. While the use of fluconazole during pregnancy generally appears safe in terms of fetal outcome (49, 58), the class C status and single report of fetal malformation (62) preclude confident recommendation for its use during pregnancy. The risks and benefits of this effective and generally less toxic drug should be discussed with the parents and weighed against the use of amphotericin B. For pregnant women with limited pulmonary cryptococcosis (segmental or nodular infiltrates) and no evidence of dissemination, we recommend close follow-up without antifungal therapy similar to the recommendation for normal hosts with minimal disease. However, it is important to note that there is no extensive experience upon which to base this recommendation for pregnant individuals (45, 55, 103, 108). It is prudent to use frequent physical examinations (for example, every 1-2 months), combined with chest roentgenograms and serum cryptococcal antigens to monitor progression and/or development of disease in both the mother and child for approximately 6 months postpartum. In conclusion, cryptococcosis during pregnancy presents a special challenge to the clinician. A balanced therapeutic approach holds great promise for successful maternal and fetal outcomes.

Medical problems during pregnancy

Dramatic physiologic changes are part of normal human pregnancy. The physiologic alterations of pregnancy have the potential to affect chronic diseases, to unmask subclinical conditions, or to alter the presentation and course of newly acquired illnesses. An update in selected topics of obstetric medicine follows, focusing on clinical entities in which there have been significant advances in diagnosis or management. Additionally, reviews of selected medical disorders, such as HIV infection and asthma, that are rising in incidence in women of reproductive age are included.