Genitourinary Tuberculosis

Tuberculosis is ranked as the 13th overall cause of death worldwide and the most frequent single infectious disease, accounting for an estimated 1.3 million annual mortalities according to the World Health Organization (WHO). While pulmonary tuberculosis is by far the most frequent manifestation of the disease, extrapulmonary tuberculosis is found in about 20% of all cases but constitutes about 50% of tuberculosis cases in those with human immunodeficiency virus coinfection. The lymph nodes, pleura, urogenital tract, abdominal, bones/joints, and meninges are the most commonly affected extrapulmonary tuberculosis sites. Urogenital tuberculosis encompasses infection of the urinary tract (kidneys, bladder, ureters) and genitals, with urinary tuberculosis being more common than the genital variety. The nonspecific symptomatology, long indolent course of the infection, lack of suspicion for tuberculosis, increasing multidrug resistance, and diagnostic difficulties, serious and irreversible complications specific to the genitourinary tract can result, including renal damage, urinary strictures, and infertility.