Mycobacterium tuberculosis breast infection mimicking pyogenic abscesses in Kuwait.
OBJECTIVE
To present 2 cases of primary breast abscesses caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis mimicking pyogenic abscesses in healthy young females.


METHODS
Two young non-lactating Indonesian and Indian women, aged 27 and 29 years old, respectively, presented with breast abscesses caused by M.tuberculosis. The breasts presented as huge, swollen, hot, tender masses with a discharge at the subareolar site. Surgical drainage revealed deep abscess with copious amount of pus, samples of which were positive for acid-fast bacilli (AFB) and later confirmed as M.tuberculosis by positive cultures in Becton Dickinson BBL Migit and BACTEC 12B media. The initial therapies with clindamycin were changed to 4 anti-tuberculous drugs as soon as the smears showed the presence of AFB. The patients were discharged a week later, but both were lost to follow-up.


CONCLUSIONS
Mammary tuberculosis should be considered in the differential diagnosis of breast lesion, especially in patients from endemic areas.
Department of Microbiology, Clinical Laboratory Services, Mubarak Hospital, Kuwait. vincent@hsc.edu.kw
Ebtehal
E
Al-Roomi
Wafaa
W
Jamal
Ahmad
A
Al-Mosawi
Vincent O
VO
Rotimi
D000038:Abscess / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology*; D000328:Adult; D000995:Antitubercular Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D001941:Breast Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000208:ethnology; D007214:Indonesia / Q000208:ethnology; D007730:Kuwait; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology*
D000995:Antitubercular Agents