Bilateral otitis media and nasopharyngitis as the presentation of tuberculosis

Abstract

Tuberculosis (TB) is a common infectious disease worldwide. It most commonly affects the lungs, though any organ can be affected. Upper respiratory tract involvement is uncommon, and involvement of the nasopharynx with bilateral TB otitis media is even rarer. These conditions can be overlooked and often mistaken for other more common and less extensive diseases, and these can lead to delay of diagnosis. We report a case of a 29-year-old man who presented with bilateral reduced hearing and tinnitus, but he was found to have TB of the nasopharynx, otitis media, and lung.