title: [Malignant peritoneal mesothelioma. An infrequent cause of prolonged fever syndrome and leucocytosis in a young adult].
abstract: Peritoneal mesothelioma is a rare neoplasia usually associated with exposure to asbestos. The incidence in the population not in contact with asbestos is of one per million per year. The disease is most common in males over the age of 40, with signs and symptoms of neoplasic disease together with abdominal pain and ascitis with or without a palpable abdominal mass. We report the case of a young male without a history of exposure to asbestos who presented with prolonged fever, leukocytosis and a septated peritoneal exudate. With a presumptive diagnosis of peritoneal tuberculosis, the patient received empirical antituberculosis treatment. Because the clinical picture persisted and microbiological studies remained negative, a second exploratory laparotomy was performed which demonstrated the presence of a malignant epithelial peritoneal mesothelioma.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Medicina, Hospital de Clinicas José de San Martin, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Melero
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lloveras
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Waisman
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Elsner
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Baldessari
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005334:Fever / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D007964:Leukocytosis / Q000209:etiology*; D008297:Male; D008654:Mesothelioma / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D010534:Peritoneal Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology
vernacular_title: Mesotelioma maligno de peritoneo. Causa infrecuente de síndrome febril prolongado y leucocitosis en un adulto joven.