A Case of Extrapulmonary Tuberculosis

Abstract

A 21 years old man immigrant from Nigeria came to our observation for swelling of the chest wall and fever. The laboratory tests showed neutrophilic leukocytosis and absence of HIV / others viruses’ infection. Chest X-ray was not conclusive. An abdomen echography showed diffuse lymphadenopathy. In the suspicion of a lymphoproliferative disease we performed a total body CT, that detected colliquated lymph nodes in the later cervical, abdominal and pelvic stations; at the left pectoral region there was an abscess collection (58x54mm) crossing the intercostal spaces until to the anterior pleura (Figure 1). Echocardiography showed mild pericardial effusion. The thoracic abscess was drained and a sample of PCR for Mycobacterium tuberculosis was positive. We started therapy with rifampicin, isoniazid, pyrazinamide, ethambutol and methyl prednisone, waiting for cultural examination The patient was discharged in good clinical status with diagnosis of disseminated lymph node tuberculosis (LNTB) fistulized to the chest wall abscess and he was referred to specialist follow-up