title: Tonsillar tuberculosis: a forgotten clinical entity.
abstract: Tuberculosis of tonsils is an extremely rare variety of extra-pulmonary tuberculosis which frequently simulates the tonsillar malignancy, especially in elderly individuals. Secondary form is more common than primary one, and in present day, contact with the infected sputum or saliva in a case of sputum smear positive pulmonary tuberculosis is the main source of the disease. Chronic or recurrent tonsillitis with enlarged tonsils and sore throat is the main clinical presentation. As it is very difficult to differentiate it from tonsillar malignancy on clinical ground, histopathological examination of the tissue is must for the diagnosis of tonsillar TB. Antitubercular therapy is adequate for its successful resolution. Here, we report a primary form of tonsillar tuberculosis in a 76-year-old male, in whom, no pulmonary tuberculosis was documented.
authors: Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Medical College, Kolkata, West Bengal, India.
authors: Anirban
authors: A
authors: Das
authors: Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Medical College, Kolkata, West Bengal, India.
authors: Sibes K
authors: SK
authors: Das
authors: Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Medical College, Kolkata, West Bengal, India.
authors: Sudipta
authors: S
authors: Pandit
authors: Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Medical College, Kolkata, West Bengal, India.
authors: Sumitra
authors: S
authors: Basuthakur
keywords: Antitubercular therapy; tissue diagnosis; tonsillar TB