Pulmonary tuberculosis in a recent immigrant

An elderly patient with a history significant for recent immigration presented with acute onset hemoptysis and a focal infiltrate on chest x-ray. A broad differential for acute hemoptysis was considered including infectious, inflammatory, and neoplastic etiologies. Sputum samples revealed the presence of drug-susceptible M. tuberculosis and treatment guidelines were reviewed. The patient demonstrated response to first-line therapy, rifampin and isoniazid, and was subsequently discharged with follow-up chest x-ray. Tuberculosis is further discussed in the broader contexts of current Canadian screening guidelines, emerging drug-resistant strains, and the initiatives of the World Health Organization (WHO) to reduce its global burden.