Nasal tuberculosis in a 56 year old woman.
BACKGROUND
Nasal tuberculosis (NTB) is rare, but it can be caused by either a pulmonary disease or a retrograde involvement of the nose by lupus vulgaris of the facial skin. In this study, we present a case of NTB with an ulcerative lesion in her left nasal cavity.


METHODS
A 56 years old woman presented with an ulcerative lesion in her left nasal cavity. The patient exhibited no clinical evidence of any systemic diseases. Peripheral leucocyte count (CBC) was normal but erythrocyte sedimentation rate was elevated. Mantoux' test elicited 25 mm reaction after 72 hr. Chest x-ray was normal. Pathological evaluation of the lesion revealed the caseating granulomas, epithelioid cells, lymphocytes, and a few giant cells. These findings suggested a diagnosis of tuberculosis. The patient was cured after 6 months treatment with standard regimen of tuberculosis.


CONCLUSIONS
Although, nasal tuberculosis is rare, it should be considered in the differential diagnosis of patients with chronic nasal symptoms and ulcerative lesions of the nose.
Jundishapur Infectioous and Tropical Diseases Research Center, Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran.
Seyed Mohammad
SM
Alavi
Department of Infectious Diseases, Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran.
Roohangiz
R
Nashibi
Nasal cavity; Nasal tuberculosis; Tuberculosis; Ulcerative lesion.