[Abdominal tuberculosis: contribution of ultrasonographyin the diagnosis and problematic of treatment in a country of sub-Saharan African].

OBJECTIVE

To determine the contribution of ultrasonography in the diagnosis of abdominal tuberculosis (TB) in HIV- infected children at the University TeachingHospital Sourô-Sanou of Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso.

METHODS

In children infected with HIV and suspected to develop tuberculosis (TB) on the basis of epidemiological and clinical evidence, the following were performed at inclusion, at 2, 6, and 9 months of follow-up: a chest x-ray and abdominal ultrasound. A bacteriological investigation of the Koch bacillus (BK) was made. All children diagnosed with TB were put on treatment.

RESULTS

Sixty-three (63) children with suspected TB were included. Thirty one children (42.86%) had been diagnosed with tuberculosis. Tuberculosis with abdominal lesions accounted for 29.03% (9/31) of TB cases, divided as follows: 4 cases (12.9%) of abdominal tuberculosis without radiographic lung lesions; 5 (16.13%) cases of multifocal TB associating pulmonary involvement with ultrasound abdominal lesions. Bacteriological confirmation was 55.55%. The main ultrasound lesions were abdominal lymph nodes (88.89%). A spleen miliary and hepatosplenic miliary were noted in 33.33% and 11.11% of the cases respectively. The evolution under antituberculous treatment was favorable in 88.88% of the cases.

CONCLUSION

Ultrasonography is a significant contributor in the diagnosis and monitoring of treatment of abdominal TB in HIV-infected children.