PLWHIV with Suspected Extrapulmonary TB

• Since approximately 20% of TB cases are extrapulmonary, and EPTB is the cause of many HIV-related TB deaths, it is important to promptly diagnosis and manage these patients.


• The most common forms of EPTB include lymph node TB (especially in the neck or under the arms), pleural (usually one-sided pleural effusion), and disseminated TB (disease that is not limited to one site in the body).


• With the exception of lymph node TB, which can usually be confirmed through aspiration of affected lymph nodes, most EPTB patients are managed without bacteriological or histological confirmation.


• These clinical algorithms are explained in WHO's TB/HIV A Clinical Manual.

Click here for a description of guidelines for diagnosing EPTB in PLWHIV.