title: The masquerades of female pelvic tuberculosis: case reports and review of literature on clinical presentations and diagnosis.
abstract: In this review, tuberculosis of the genital tract was diagnosed retrospectively in 11 females over 15 years. The presentations of nine cases are described. Seven of the nine cases presented with ascites, vague abdominal distension, weight loss and were misdiagnosed as ovarian carcinoma. Eight women had no relevant past history. A review on clinical presentations and diagnosis of pelvic tuberculosis is presented. We conclude that although the incidence of tuberculosis is uncommon in developed countries, its prevalence appears to be increasing worldwide. Therefore, clinicians should consider tuberculosis as a differential diagnosis when encountering clinical presentations of pelvic mass and ascites.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Malaya Medical Center, Kuala Lumpur. teresa@medicine.med.um.edu.my
authors.forename: Teresa Wai Ping
authors.initials: TW
authors.lastname: Chow
authors.forename: Boon Kiong
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.forename: Sivanesaratnam
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vallipuram
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001201:Ascites / Q000209:etiology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008499:Medical Records; D008875:Middle Aged; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014384:Tuberculosis, Female Genital / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology