Prevalence of concomitant pulmonary tuberculosis in patients with newly diagnosed silicosis in a tertiary care center in South India

Background: Long-term exposure to silica dust makes people prone for silicosis which raises the risk of individual in developing pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB). Silicosis is a progressive lung disease characterize with shortness breath, cough, fever, and bluish skin, caused due inhalation crystalline found abundance sand, rock, quartz. Aims Objectives: The known effect functioning macrophages making it unable defend mycobacterium species, thus allowing bacterium invade develop tuberculosis. Materials Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional study carried out estimate prevalence PTB newly diagnosed patients at Madurai Medical College, Madurai, Tamil Nadu. All who got registered Occupational Lung Diseases Registry from January 2016 December 2021 are included study. tested positive on sputum CBNAAT considered as silicotubercular patients, whose calculated. Results: Our total 54 subjects (90.8% males 8.2% female) mean SD age 38±6.7 years ranging 26 53 years. Of 22 40.7% Mycobacterium (MTB) CBNAAT. MTB among was be 40.7%. Conclusions: Association TB very strong also observed male sex elder elevated silicotuberculosis. getting exposed need educated usage usefulness protective equipment.