Is spinal tuberculosis contagious?

Int J Infect Dis. 2010 Aug;14(8):e659-66. doi: 10.1016/j.ijid.2009.11.009. Epub 2010 Feb 23.

Abstract

While pulmonary Mycobacterium tuberculosis infections are recognized for their public health implications, less is known about the infectiousness of extrapulmonary tuberculosis, specifically, spinal tuberculosis or Pott's disease. We present a case of spinal tuberculosis with concomitant active pulmonary tuberculosis in the absence of chest radiographic abnormalities or symptoms, and review the literature regarding infectiousness of concomitant spinal and pulmonary tuberculosis.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Culture Media
  • Humans
  • Infection Control / methods
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Mycobacterium tuberculosis / isolation & purification*
  • Mycobacterium tuberculosis / physiology
  • Radiography
  • Sputum / microbiology
  • Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / complications*
  • Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / diagnostic imaging
  • Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / microbiology
  • Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / transmission*
  • Tuberculosis, Spinal / complications*
  • Tuberculosis, Spinal / diagnostic imaging
  • Tuberculosis, Spinal / microbiology
  • Tuberculosis, Spinal / transmission*

Substances

  • Culture Media