title: Primary thoracic muscle tuberculosis: two case reports.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of this case report is to present our experience with two very rare cases of thoracic muscle tuberculosis. Muscle tuberculosis, as a primary disease, can only be detected in cases in which mycobacteria have been transplanted to a muscle through an infected needle.
  
  
  METHODS
  Case 1 is a 38-year-old immigrant man and Case 2 is a 24-year-old immigrant man, both originating from Sub-Saharan African Countries; they presented in the past two years to our hospital with swellings at the base of the hemithorax and were diagnosed as having muscle tuberculosis. Administration of anti-tuberculosis chemotherapy caused: (a) diminution of inflammation, (b) diminution of the size of local fusiform injury, and (c) clinical improvement.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Thoracic muscle tuberculosis should be considered to be one of the etiologies of muscular disease in European countries with a high incidence of immigrants originating from endemic geographical areas.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Nursing, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece. grigorakos@parliament.gr.|Intensive Care, General Trauma and Accident Hospital of Athens KAT, Athens, Greece. grigorakos@parliament.gr.
authors.forename: Leonidas
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Grigorakos
authors.affiliation: Sotiria Chest Diseases Hospital, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Vassilis
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Sgountzos
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Nursing, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Daria
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lazarescu
authors.affiliation: Peripheral Anticancer Oncology Hospital of Athens "Agios Savvas", Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Sophia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Simopoulou
authors.affiliation: Sotiria Chest Diseases Hospital, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Magda
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gkouni
authors.affiliation: Intensive Care at Latseion Burn Center, Thriasio General Hospital, Elefsina, Greece.
authors.forename: Nikolaos
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Markou
authors.affiliation: Sotiria Chest Diseases Hospital, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Vassilis
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Tamvakis
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017954:Africa South of the Sahara; D000995:Antitubercular Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants; D006491:Hemothorax / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007273:Injections, Intramuscular / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology / Q000635:transmission*
chemical_list: D000995:Antitubercular Agents
keywords: Case report; Extrapulmonary tuberculosis; Muscle tuberculosis; Skeletal muscle