title: Thymus tuberculosis poorly responding to anti-mycobacterial therapy in a young girl with primary infection.
abstract: Tuberculous infection of the thymus is a rare condition, previously described only in young adults. A case of a young girl with primary pulmonary tuberculosis, hilar and mediastinal lymph node enlargement and a partially necrotic mass in antero-superior mediastinum is described. Treatment with three anti-mycobacterial drugs was started, effective in markedly reducing all the intrathoracic abnormalities with the exception of the antero-superior mediastinal mass. Since the radiographic and ultrasonographic appearance of the thymus tuberculous infection may be indistinguishable from other serious conditions, including lymphoma and thymoma, a diagnostic procedure was performed. Evaluation of the resected specimen showed foci of caseation and multiple granulomas with extensive central necrosis within the thymic tissue.
authors.affiliation: G Gaslini, Institute and University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy.
authors.forename: Oliviero
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Sacco
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gambini
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Aicardi
authors.forename: Michela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Silvestri
authors.forename: Umberto G
authors.initials: UG
authors.lastname: Rossi
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Tomà
authors.forename: Girolamo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mattioli
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Jasonni
authors.forename: Giovanni A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Rossi
mesh_terms: D000995:Antitubercular Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008206:Lymphatic Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D013902:Radiography, Thoracic; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D000995:Antitubercular Agents