Prevalence and spectrum of fungal pathogens in pulmonary tuberculosis patients

Pulmonary fungal infections are increasingly recognized as significant co-infections in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB). Therefore, it is of interest to determine the prevalence and spectrum of fungal pathogens in patients with suspected and confirmed PTB. A cross-sectional study was conducted on 180 patients at MGM Medical College, Indore, India, with sputum samples processed for fungal culture. Fungal culture positivity was observed in 20% of the patients, with aspergillus species being the most commonly isolated pathogen. Thus, we show the need for routine mycological examination in PTB patients to facilitate early diagnosis and appropriate treatment