Cardiac Tamponade with Fibrin Strands Leading to the Diagnosis of Multifocal Systemic Tuberculosis

Abstract

Tuberculosis continues to be a major health problem, where an estimated 7–8 million new cases are diagnosed each year. Multifocal tuberculosis is characterized by the presence of large multifocal tuberculous areas in the same or different organs. Difficulty in diagnosis of multifocal tuberculosis and consideration of other diseases may lead to a delay in diagnosing this entity. We report the case of a young patient hospitalized for tamponade revealing a multifocal tuberculosis whose evolution was favorable after drainage and under antibacillary treatment. This to conclude that because of its propensity to cleverly mimic many diseases and affect multiple organ systems and sites, a high index of suspicion for multifocal TB should be maintained with patients presenting with multiple sites of involvement, especially in immunocompromised patients and those from countries where TB is endemic.