Be aware of abdominal tuberculosis.
Abdominal tuberculosis is often diagnosed in a late stage because symptoms are aspecific. Two patients with intestinal tuberculosis and tuberculous peritonitis respectively, both from endemic countries presented with long-standing fever, abdominal pain and weight loss. Acid fast bacilli were present in aspirate and biopsy specimens obtained by colonoscopy and laparoscopy respectively; PCR was positive for M. tuberculosis complex and later M. tuberculosis was cultured. Both patients responded to antituberculous therapy. In one patient AIDS was diagnosed.
Bouma
B J
BJ
Department of Internal Medicine, Academic Medical Centre, Amsterdam, Netherlands.
Tytgat
K M
KM
Schipper
H G
HG
Kager
P A
PA
D000328:Adult; D000995:Antitubercular Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003106:Colon / Q000382:microbiology; D003108:Colonic Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology; D003113:Colonoscopy; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy; D008297:Male; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D010532:Peritoneal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology; D010537:Peritoneum / Q000382:microbiology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D014385:Tuberculosis, Gastrointestinal / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology
D000995:Antitubercular Agents; D004269:DNA, Bacterial