Silico-tuberculosis Association: about 40 cases

<b>Introduction:</b> The risk of developing pulmonary tuberculosis in a silicotic is much higher than in the general population. <b>Methods:</b> We report in this retrospective work the clinical, paraclinical, evolutionary and therapeutic peculiarities of the silico-tuberculosis association. Forty patient files were collected between 2005 and 2018. All our patients are male, aged 29 years on average, for whom the notion of a professional exposure is often short-lived between 1 - 4 years. The notion of smoking was found in 10 patients over 15 P / A. All our patients had a respiratory discomfort with frank signs of tubercular impregnation. Chest X-ray showed diffuse and bilateral nodular lesions in all cases with images of associated excavations in 10 cases, Pseudo-tumor masses in 5 patients and ADP in 3 cases. Tuberculosis has been confirmed by bacteriology. The antibiogram revealed a multi-resistant tuberculosis in 20 patients, Atypical mycobacterium tuberculosis (avium) in two cases. All patients received antituberculous treatment for more than 6 months. The evolution was good in 10 cases, 18 patients became oxygen-requiring and Eight deaths were reported. Chronic tuberculosis in 4 patients <b>Conclusion:</b> The rise in the prevalence and incidence of tuberculosis in silicosis. Due to some clinical and radiological similarities between silicosis and some forms of tuberculosis, diagnosis may be delayed.