Author(s)

Okorie Onuka¹, John Ahukanna¹, Chukwudi Okebaram², Patrick Dakum³, Aderonke Agbaje³, Vivian Ibeziako³, Gidado Mustapha⁴, Nkem Chukwueme⁴, Chux Anago⁵, Emperor Ubochioma⁶, Amarachi Okorie⁷, Odume Bethrand⁸, Nwafor Charles⁹

¹Abia State Ministry of Health, Umuahia, Nigeria.
²Department of Pharmacology, Abia State University, Okigwe, Nigeria.
³Institute of Human Virology, Abuja, Nigeria.
⁴Challenge KNCV, Abuja, Nigeria.
⁵Clinton Health Access Initiative, Abuja, Nigeria.
⁶National Tuberculosis and Leprosy Control Program, Abuja, Nigeria.
⁷School of Midwifery, Umuahia, Nigeria.
⁸Department of Family Medicine, National Hospital, Abuja, Nigeria.
⁹German Leprosy and Tuberculosis Relief Association, Enugu, Nigeria.

Tuberculosis (TB), diabetes mellitus and HIV co-morbidity is a rare and interrelated health condition with associated high morbidity and mortality especially in developing countries with high prevalence of TB. It has become an emerging concern to epidemiologists and TB control programs due to complexities in its control and management. Managing MDR-TB, DM and HIV comorbidity is challenging, with risk of unfavorable outcome; consequently, close monitoring is necessary. Individuals with weak immunity resulting from diseases such as uncontrolled Diabetes Mellitus (DM) and HIV have a higher risk of developing TB or progression from latent to active TB. We present a 65-year old known diabetic patient who presented to Royal Cross Hospital Ugwueke Abia State, Nigeria with a one-year history of recurrent productive cough with associated night sweats, low grade fever and marked weight loss. A diagnosis of drug-resistant TB with DM/HIV co-morbidity was made and co-managed by experts from the respective clinics and the State TB control program. The patient was declared cured (7 months consecutive negative cultures each taken 30 days apart) after completing 20 months of conventional MDR-TB treatment. The patient showed remarkable clinical improvement including weight gain, good diabetic control and significant increase in CD4 (700 cells). Managing MDR-TB patients with diabetes and HIV is challenging, however, appropriate treatment, psychosocial support, adequate blood sugar control as well as monthly monitoring of patients with requisite investigations are vital in achieving good treatment outcome.

Co-Morbidity-Diabetes-Multi Drug Resistant TB and HIV

Onuka, O. , Ahukanna, J. , Okebaram, C. , Dakum, P. , Agbaje, A. , Ibeziako, V. , Mustapha, G. , Chukwueme, N. , Anago, C. , Ubochioma, E. , Okorie, A. , Bethrand, O. and Charles, N. (2017) A Case Study of Multi Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis (MDR-TB), HIV and Diabetes Mellitus (Dm) Comorbidity: Triple Pathology; Challenges and Prospects. Advances in Infectious Diseases, 7, 70-79. doi: 10.4236/aid.2017.73008.