title: Splenic tuberculosis: a case report.
abstract: Splenic tuberculosis is an unusual clinical phenomenon, especially in immunocompetent hosts. It often demonstrates diagnostic complexity, which makes the identification of the agent difficult. We encountered the case of a middle-aged immunocompetent male who claimed to be suffering from pain in the left hypochondriac region without any indication of cough, hemoptysis, weight loss or fever. When physically examined, he had splenomegaly without any other clinical findings. This was further confirmed by imaging. A splenectomy was performed, and samples were taken for histopathological examination and microbiological analysis. Gross examination of the specimen showed multiple nodules coalescing to form a large yellowish-white mass of solid consistency. Histopathological examination showed large areas of caseation surrounded by multiple granulomas of epitheloid cells and Langhan's type giant cells throughout the splenic pulp. PCR verified the diagnosis of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection. No primary focus of infection was detected in the lungs or any other organs.
authors.affiliation: Research Center of Molecular Biology, Department of Pathology, School of Medical Sciences, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Imanifouladi.a@gmail.com
authors.forename: Abbas Ali
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Imani Fooladi
authors.forename: Mohammad Javad
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Hosseini
authors.forename: Taghi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Azizi
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013154:Spleen / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D013156:Splenectomy; D014400:Tuberculosis, Splenic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery