Hi, I would like to have an expert opinion about a health problem my little sister (19yrs) is facing. She has had been sufering from fever(sometimes quite hight - 101, 102 degrees), we had some tests done and the diagnosis has narrowed it down to pleural effusion in the lungs and abdomen. The fluid was drawn out and tests were done on which there is a small difference of opinion of two doctors. (Checkup and all were done in Jammu, J&K). It is being diagoned as Tuberculosis by one Doctor, but another another opinion from a doctor is that it might not be TB, it might just be only due to Viral infection, and as he says viral infections too can lead to Pleural effusions which will slowly dissappear within a week or so. Now we are in dilemma and not able to decide weather to go ahead with the TB medication. Im currently in Bangalore and I have the scanned copy of the reports which I was hoping to show to a specialist here in Bangalore and get his opinion about the situation and how to go ahead in this case. If anybody could guide me and give me the contacts of a specialist to whom I could show the reports and get valuable guidance.
In India the commonest cause of pleural effusion is TB. I am sure that some fluid was with Chat Doctor.  You may repeat a chest X-ray and ultrasound of the X-ray and if it is due to viral infection. It will disappear in a week to 10 days time. If fluid is persisting, tb is the most likely diagnosis. Get a contour test done. In tb, it is generally positive.