Tuberculosis and HIV coinfection complicated by nosocomial infection caused by Klebsiella pneumoniae: About 4 cases in a Department of Infectious diseases in Mali

Nosocomial infections are a real global public health problem. Pulmonary tuberculosis and HIV co-infection increases the incidence of nosocomial infections because of immunosuppression and iterative hospitalizations. We here report four cases of patients aged 28, 36, 42 and 52 years co-infected with HIV and tuberculosis (multifocal tuberculosis in 2 patients, miliary tuberculous, bacteriologically confirmed tuberculosis), all with CD4 < 100 cells/mm3. During the intensive-phase, patients received antitubercular drugs and antiretroviral therapy (ART). They had been admitted to the Department of Infectious Diseases at the G-Point University Hospital with productive cough and/or hyperthermia following hospital stay greater than 48 hours. Patients’ history revealed that one patient had not been compliant with tuberculosis treatment because of adverse reactions classified as minor. There had been no clinical improvement in the three remaining patients despite their optimal compliance to different treatments. Cytobacteriological examination of sputum and/or testing of the feeding tubes, blood cultures and specific samples allowed to identify multidrug-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae. The clinical course of these patients was favorable under specific antibiotic therapy. Nosocomial infections may be misinterpreted and associated with poor therapeutic response in patients receiving TB treatment. Cytobacteriological examination of the biological fluids should be systematic in patients co-infected with HIV and tuberculosis and hospitalized for at least 48 hours, in whom pulmonary signs and/or fever persist despite their good compliance to treatment.