Genital tuberculosis in women, its complications and infertility

Abstract

Tuberculosis (TB) remains a major global public health problem with the highest death rate from any infection causing 1.5 million deaths in 2018. Pulmonary tuberculosis is the most common presentation; extrapulmonary and genital tuberculosis are the second most common presentation with an increase in women of reproductive age. The symptoms of tuberculosis are nonspecific; furthermore, the microbiological tests available for diagnosis have low sensitivity; that cause a delay in diagnosis and treatment, causing irreversible organic damage that causes infertility in women, in some cases surgery is necessary; since it can simulate oncological processes, particularly ovarian cancer; that must be discarded before starting its management. Treatment with multiple anti-tuberculosis drugs lasts for a total of 6 months, the response is clinically evaluated after one month with imaging, Treatment of tuberculosis is prolonged, generally, its total duration is 6 months with the new anti-tuberculosis drugs and its response is evaluated clinically and by imaging. The epidemiology, symptoms, complications, such as infertility, its diagnosis and treatment are reviewed.