Please Note: Due to volume considerations, not all questions can be answered. Questions most likely to be answered will be those of general interest to a broad group of visitors to this forum. Questions pertaining to a specific case; requests for diagnosis, medical advice, or second opinion; or requests for opinions about untested alternative therapies will generally not be answered.
This Forum is made possible in part by Gilead and GlaxoSmithKline.
Ask the Experts about Choosing Your Meds
HIV and acute cough
Apr 16, 2008
She has HIV with CD4 count less than 120,but with acute persistant cough.She tested negative for TB but the cough can just stop.I have given her some cough syrup but it still persist. Do i treat for latent TB?
Response from Dr. Young
I think that this is a tad too complex a case to answer with detail.
First off, if the patient was SKIN tested for TB, this is a very highly insensitive test. A negative skin test in a patient with a CD4 of 120 would have a very low predictive value. If available, I'd perform a Quantiferon test for TB- one that is becoming more widely available and much more predictive in persons with low CD4s.
I'd be looking at the characteristics of the sputum stains and cultures, chest radiographs for clues to the cause. It may be reasonable to consider bronchoscopy too.
Since there are so many different things in addition to TB that can cause cough in persons with AIDS (PCP, bacterial pneumonia, viral pneumonia, tumor), I would defer on the issue of treatment of latent TB until more data arises.
BY
Please remember that this forum is designed for educational purposes only, and experts are not engaged through this
forum in rendering legal or medical advice or professional services. Experts appearing on this page are independent and are solely responsible
for editing and fact-checking their material. Neither The Body nor any sponsor is the publisher or speaker of posted visitors' questions or the experts' material.
Questions and messages posted to this forum are not statements of advice, opinion, or information of The Body, Body Health Resources Corporation or any sponsor of this
forum. While neither The Body nor Body Health Resources Corporation regularly reviews posted content, we reserve the right to delete, move, or
edit postings if we deem it appropriate under the circumstances. Visitors submitting questions remain solely responsible for the content of their
messages.
Information provided by experts is general only and should not be used for diagnosing or treating a health problem or a disease, or relied upon as
legal or other professional advice. This information is not a substitute for professional advice or care. If you have or suspect you may have a
health or legal problem, you should consult your own health care provider or your attorney.
