TB Research

Management of Multidrug-resistant Tuberculosis in a Ukrainian Refugee with HIV/HCV Coinfection: A Case Report

Kristina Russu, These authors contributed equally., Stefan Schlabe, These authors contributed equally., D Kütting, Gereon Rieke, Vera Schäfer, U. Klein, et al. (10 authors)

touchREVIEWS in Infectious Diseases · 2023-01

Abstract

In this case study, we present a 53-year-old Ukrainian refugee with reactivation of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis, which was treated in Ukraine 4 years before he fled the country following the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The patient had a chronic HIV infection that had been treated with antiretroviral therapy and was newly diagnosed with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2019 infection, hepatitis C infection and liver cirrhosis. Therefore, tuberculostatic therapy was individualized because of resistance against rifampicin, isoniazid, bedaquiline, and clofazimine and pre-existing liver cirrhosis and neuropathy. The latter was a sequela of a former tuberculosis treatment taken 4 years earlier. The treatment of the patient was complicated by superinfection of the lung cavity with carbapenemase-resistant <italic>Klebsiella pneumoniae</italic> and a life-threatening massive haemoptysis. He received a selective angiographic examination and bronchial artery embolization. This case report illustrates the complex management of several coinfections in the context of a humanitarian crisis following the on-going military conflict in Ukraine.

MeSH terms

  • Medicine
  • Tuberculosis
  • Coinfection
  • Cirrhosis
  • Context (archaeology)
  • Hepatitis C
  • Rifampicin
  • Internal medicine
  • Immunology