Genital tuberculosis (TB) commonly affects females aged 20-40 years. It is usually secondary to pulmonary or other organ involvement. The fallopian tubes are most frequently involved (90-100%), followed by the endometrium (50-60%). Common presenting symptoms include infertility (40-50%), abnormal bleeding (25-30%), and pelvic pain (15-25%). Diagnosis involves clinical suspicion, imaging such as ultrasound or HSG, and microbiological tests on samples from the endometrium or tubes. Treatment consists of a multi-drug regimen containing isoniazid, rifampin, pyrazinamide and ethambutol for 2 months, followed by isoniazid and rif

2.  Genital T.B. 1st recognized by MORGAGNI
in 1744.
 Incidence in infertility clinics:-
5% in world and 19% in India.
 80% – 90% in females aged 20 – 40 years.

3. Almost always secondary usually primaries are
pulmonary other sites renal, GIT, bone, etc.
occasionally part of miliary T.B.
MODE OF SPREAD:- 1. Hematogenous
2. Lymphatic
3. Direct
 Evidence suggest if primary infection occurs
close to menarche increased chance of genital
T.B.

5. Tubercular adenitis of mesenteric or pelvic
lymph nodes.
Superficial involvement of serosa does not
impair reproductive function.
Pelvic T.B. is not the same disease as Genital
T.B.

6. ORGAN FREQUENCY(%)
Fallopian tube. 90 - 100
Endometrium. 50 - 60
Ovaries. 20 - 30
Cervix. 5 - 15
Vulva & Vagina. 1

7. Usually the ampullary region shows the earliest and most
extensive changes.
The fimbrial processes become greatly swollen and Ostia
remain open or closed.
Gross appearance – 1. TOBACCO POUCH
APPEARANCE.
2. PRODUCTIVE
ADHESIVE FORM.
Gross appearance varies and is non-diagnostic.
Microscopy, hyperplastic adenomatous pattern may be
confused with adenocarcinoma.

8. Gross size and shape of uterus may appear normal.
Endometrium on gross appearance may show
ulcerative, granular or fungating lesion resembling
carcinoma.
Endometrial cavity may be obliterated with
intrauterine adhesions.
Microscopy classic lesion is the non caseating
granuloma.
The granulomatous lesions are best recognized on 24
– 26 cycle days or within 12 hrs. of onset of menses.

9. Usually bilateral.
2 types:- 1. Perioophoritis.
2. Ophoritis.

10. High degree of suspicion.
20% have history of T.B. in immediate family.
4 major presenting complaints:-
1. Infertility.
2. Abnormal
bleeding .
3. Pelvic pain.
4.Amennorrhea.

11. H/o primary infertility with no apparent cause on
examination & family H/o or personal H/o T.B.
H/o vague lower abdominal discomfort with low grade
fever/undue fatigue/persistent ill health over months to
years associated with weight loss.
Adolescent female presenting with ascites pain and low
grade fever.
Menopausal female enlarged uterus that is tense and
tender on examination (pyrometra formation)
Recurrent Pelvic inflammatory disease not responding
to antibiotic therapy.

12. Most common initial symptom.
In most large studies:
Infertility presenting c/o in 40% - 50%.
85% never became pregnant & 15%
developed symptoms of genital T.B.
within a year of last pregnancy.

13. Second common symptom.
Pain present for several months which is not usually
severe.
M/b associated with swelling of abdomen.
Episodes of acute lower abdominal pain owing to
secondary infection by pyogenic org.
In advanced disease pelvic pain becomes severe and
gets aggravated by coitus, exercise & mensus.
No. of women c/o pain is proportional to no. of women
having abdominal findings on physical examination.

14. Third common symptom.
Menorragia/ Menometrorragia/ Intermenstrual
bleeding/ Oligomenorrhoea/ Postmenopausal
bleeding.
Menstrual cycle may be normal. Superficial
T.B. Endometritis does not interfere with
secretory response of endometrium to
hormonal stimulation.

15. Advanced active pulmonary T.B. produce
amen. but concomitant genital T.B. is rare.
Complete destruction of ovary by genital T.B.
seldom occurs so ovarian failure is not the
cause.
End organ failure secondary to endometrial
caseation.

16. Normal in 50%..
Bi manual examination-adenexal mass/fixation
of pelvic organs less tender.
Abdominal examination-doughy feeling.

17. CBC, ESR, KFT, CRP
CXR
Pelvic ultrasound / hystero-salpingography
Laparoscopy
Histopathology
Microbiology:-
Mantoux test
QTG-T
Serology
AFB microscopy / culture

18. EA / EB / EC / menstrual blood
Urine – 3 consecutive days (smear vs. culture -
St: 52% / 65%; Sp: 89-96 / 100%)
Molecular tests
HIV

19. Mantoux
QuantiFERON-TB Gold
Microscopy
Culture
Molecular tests – Gen-probe / PCR
Identification by Accuprobe
FAST Plaque TB

20. Diagnostic role of a positive Mantoux (PPD) is
controversial
Almost 45% of infertile women with strong indirect evidence
of pelvic TB, such as laparoscopic findings (thickened tubes,
areas of caseation, etc) - negative Mantoux
In 27 infertile women with a positive Mantoux, only 11 had
clear laparoscopic findings suggestive of FGTB
Mantoux test in women with laparoscopically diagnosed
tuberculosis
sensitivity - 55%
specificity - 80%

21. Ziehl-Neelsen, Kinyoun
Fluorochrome - Auramine-rhodamine (direct
fluorescence)
Higher sensitivity; faster screening
ST: 22-78% (cf culture)
MC Detection limit in sputum: 5000-10000 orgs/ml
Culture: 100 orgs/ml
Presumptive identification; confirmation by culture /
NAA test

22. Decisive step for diagnosis, treatment &
control of TB
Combination of solid & liquid media- “gold
standard” for primary isolation
Recommended turn around time (CDC)
14 days (culture)
21-30 days (identification & susceptibility)

23. Fully automated
Non-invasive
Continuously monitored non-radiometric
system
Revised antibiotic supplement kit
Medium - modified Middlebrook 7H9 broth
with supplements

24. CO2 released by mycobacteria detected by sensor
Color changes - increase in reflectance units
Positive broth - 106-107 orgs/ml
Higher biomass - direct inoculation of
identification panels & susceptibility tests

25. In vitro laboratory diagnostic test (May ’05)
Indirect test for M. tuberculosis complex
M. tuberculosis
M. bovis, M. africanum, M. Microti, M. Canetti
infection
Tuberculosis disease OR latent tuberculosis infection
(LTBI)- cannot distinguish between them
Intended for use in conjunction with risk assessment,
radiography, and other medical and diagnostic
evaluations

26. Single patient visit - whole blood sample - 4 ml of
heparinised whole blood
Must be transported to lab to allow initiation of
testing within 12 hours (viable lymphocytes)
Rapid results (within 24 hours)
No booster response (measured by subsequent tests -
which can happen with Mantoux)
No reader bias (cf Mantoux)
Not affected by prior BCG vaccination
Impaired or altered immune function
ST: 80-95% (Mantoux 75-90%)
SP: 95-100% (Mantoux 70-95%)

27. DNA probes
From cultures
Direct samples > 10,000 organisms
rRNA probes
Gene amplification
PCR
Isothermal amplification
Gen-probe AMTD, NASBA, SDA (IS6110),
QB replicase

28. Uses
Rapid diagnosis in smear negative samples
65 kDA protein encoding gene
mpt64 gene
Differentiate M. tb / NTM
Species specific IS6110
Genetic markers for drug resistance
Rifampicin – rpoB
INH – codon 315 of katG
False positives & false negatives (inhibitors)
Negative result cannot rule out TB & positive result is
not always confirmatory

29. Based on hybridisation of nucleic acids
4 steps
Sample preparation
Hybridisation
Selection of the hybrid
Detection of the hybrid

30. Mycobacteriophage detection system
M. smegmatis lytic cycle: 90 mins
Not expensive; safe
Viable bacilli, intact phage receptors
Affected by effective ATT – monitor trt success
Phage inhibitory substances
Analytical ST: 100-300 bacilli/ml
Mixed results
Good sp (96-99%)
Less st (70-87%)

31. Rigid pipe-stem tubes
A clubbed ampulla with retort-shaped
hydrosalpingx
Vascular or lymphatic intravasation of contrast
Small shrunken uterine cavity with filling
defects
Long and dilated cervical canal & dye in
cervical crypts
Bilateral cornual block
Punctate opacification of crypts and
diverticulae in lumen of tubes

38. A combination of PCR with the other available
techniques is the best method of achieving sufficient
sensitivity and specificity for the diagnosis of female
genital tuberculosis
PCR positive + culture negative – warrants therapy
as PCR can detect very few bacilli & even dead
bacilli.
PCR negative + culture positive – this result cannot
be dismissed as contamination carry false negative
rate of PCR. Culture remains gold standard.

39. Clinical:
• Acute and chronic bacterial infection.
• Ascites / peritonitis / hepatitis/ chloecystitis /
appendicitis / ovarian / cancer/ renal dz /
cardiac dz.
HPR: Granulomatous lesion- Sarcoidosis / leprosy
/ syphilis / FB reaction.

40. Subfertility & Infertility- Residual damage of the
fallopian tubes is often irreversible even following
medical regimens, unless genital T.B. is diagnosed
and treated early in its course. Symptoms of pain and
menstrual disorder respond to medical treatment.
Ectopic pregnancy- Risk of ectopic pregnancy
following medical treatment is estimated to be 33%-
72%.
Congenital T.B.- Rare but potentially serious
complication. Over whelming systemic infection in
the new born has considerable morbidity &mortality.

41. Once diagnosed a gynecologist must consider
following points:-
 Rule out active T.B. at any other site.
Know the extent of genital lesion.
Will medical management cure the lesion?
Is pregnancy possible following treatment?

42. Experts suggest that it is easier to treat these
cases because they are paucibacillary.
 3 basic principles for chemotherapy for T.B.
Regimen must contain multiple drugs to which
organism is susceptible.
Drugs are to be taken regularly.
Drugs should continue for a sufficient period of
time.

43. For patients who are compliant and the
organism is fully susceptible.
INH+RIF+PZA--- 2 months
INH+RIF --- 4 months
For patients who cannot tolerate PZA
INH+RIF--- 9 months
Ethambutol or SM should be included in above
regimen till results of drug susceptibility are
available.
Add pyridoxine 25-50mg in regimen including
INH.
Multi drug resistance drug used are-
PAS/cycloserine/capreomycin/kanamycin/amikacin/thioac
etazone

44. Indications:-
Persistent & recurrent disease/pelvic masses/pelvic
pain/abnormal bleeding despite adequate treatment
Persistent non healing fistula
Multi drug resistant disease
Concomitant neoplasia of genital tract
Chemotherapy should precede surgery by 1-2 weeks.
Surgery should be done at mid cycle in premenopausal.
C.T. should be continued for 6-12 months post op.
Premenopausal-save ovaries if normal, otherwise TAH
with BSO followed by HRT.