In the year 2001, 1459 Tuberculosis (TB) cases (43.1/100,000 population) were notified in Selangor. The highest age specific incidence rate was among those aged above 60 years and foreigners accounted for 15% of the cases notified. Fifteen percent of the TB cases were treated in the private sector where treatment efficacy and compliance could not be evaluated. Co- infection of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection with TB accounted for 51% of the TB deaths notified. Screening programmes in prisons and drug rehabilitation centres had detected 11.7% of HIV/TB coinfection among HIV positive inmates screened in these institutions.
Bladder cancer is the second most common cancer of the urinary tract, and overall it is among the top 10 cancers in men. Transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) is the most common type, with the majority being superficial disease, i.e. the tumour has not gone beyond the lamina propria. The main problem with superficial TCC is the high recurrence rate. Various forms of treatment methods have been attempted to reduce the recurrence rate, with intravesical bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) being the most successful to date. In fact, intravesical BCG is one of the most successful forms of immunotherapy in the treatment of any form of cancer. This article is a general review of BCG in bladder cancer with an emphasis on the indication and mechanism of action in reducing recurrence and progression.
A more effective vaccine against tuberculosis (TB) is urgently needed. Based on its high genetic homology with Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), the nonpathogenic mycobacteria, Mycobacterium smegmatis (Ms), could be an attractive source of potential antigens to be included in such a vaccine. We evaluated the capability of lipid-based preparations obtained from Ms to provide a protective response in Balb/c mice after challenge with Mtb H37Rv strain. The intratracheal model of progressive pulmonary TB was used to assess the level of protection in terms of bacterial load as well as the pathological changes in the lungs of immunized Balb/c mice following challenge with Mtb. Mice immunized with the lipid-based preparation from Ms either adjuvanted with Alum (LMs-AL) or nonadjuvanted (LMs) showed significant reductions in bacterial load (P < 0.01) compared to the negative control group (animals immunized with phosphate buffered saline (PBS)). Both lipid formulations showed the same level of protection as Bacille Calmette and Guerin (BCG). Regarding the pathologic changes in the lungs, mice immunized with both lipid formulations showed less pneumonic area when compared with the PBS group (P < 0.01) and showed similar results compared with the BCG group. These findings suggest the potential of LMs as a promising vaccine candidate against TB.
Intravesical Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) has been a proven and effective immunotherapy treatment for superficial transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) of the bladder, especially for high-grade tumors and carcinoma in situ. Nevertheless, significant side effects are associated with BCG instillations, including fever, myalgia, malaise, dysuria, hematuria, and irritable lower urinary tract symptoms. We herein report the case of a patient who developed Reiter's syndrome following intravesical BCG instillations. A 39-year-old Chinese man presented with a 3-week history of dysuria, suprapubic pain, and pain at the tip of the penis postmicturition. Initial investigations revealed that he had microhematuria, and an ultrasound with computed tomography scan of the abdomen showed a bladder mass. Transurethral resection of the bladder tumor was performed and the patient received a single dose of intravesical mitomycin postoperatively. Results of histopathological examination revealed high-grade bladder TCC (G3pT1), and the patient was managed with intravesical BCG for 2 weeks following the surgery. Four weekly cycles of BCG were administered uneventfully; however, before the fifth instillation, the patient complained of urethral discharge, bilateral conjunctivitis, and low back pain. Reiter's syndrome was diagnosed as a rare but known complication of BCG instillation and the BCG immunotherapy was withheld. The patient was treated with nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (for back pain) and eye ointment (for conjunctivitis) and his condition improved. This case report of Reiter's syndrome should be highlighted as a rare but significant complication of BCG immunotherapy and urologists should have a high index of suspicion to diagnose this rare complication.