Question

An 85-year-old man has been experiencing weight loss, night sweats, and a dry cough for several months; recently, he has begun coughing up sputum with tinges of blood in it. Following a chest X-ray showing some white spots on his lungs, an AFB stain and culture were ordered, and both were positive for the presence of AFB. He has been PPD positive since his twenties. What is your diagnosis?

Answer 1

Pulmonary tuberculosis. It is a disease caused by a resistant acid bacterium and weight loss, persistent chronic cough and night sweats are characteristic of its symptoms. In addition to these discomforts, they will present hemotipsis, that is, the presence of blood in the sputum. The diagnosis is confirmed by the presence of spots in the lungs and positive sputum and culture tests for the presence of AFB (Acid- Fast Bacilli).