Extrapulmonary tuberculosis

CT scan of peritoneal tuberculosis, with thickened omentum and peritoneal surfaces[1]

Extrapulmonary tuberculosis is tuberculosis (TB) within a location in the body other than the lungs. It accounts for an increasing fraction of active cases, from 20 to 40% according to published reports,[2] and causes other kinds of TB.[3][4] These are collectively denoted as "extrapulmonary tuberculosis".[4] Extrapulmonary TB occurs more commonly in immunosuppressed persons and young children. In those with HIV, this occurs in more than 50% of cases.[4] Notable extrapulmonary infection sites include the pleura (in tuberculous pleurisy), the central nervous system (in tuberculous meningitis), the lymphatic system (in scrofula of the neck), the genitourinary system (in urogenital tuberculosis), and the bones and joints (in Pott disease of the spine), among others.

Infection of the lymph nodes, known as tubercular lymphadenitis, is the most common extrapulmonary form of tuberculosis.[4][5] An ulcer originating from nearby infected lymph nodes may occur and is painless. It typically enlarges slowly and has an appearance of "wash leather".[6]

Histopathological specimen showing tuberculosis of the duodenum. Lamina propria is stuffed with wall-to-wall histiocytes. This Kinyoun carbolfuchsin stain shows innumerable acid-fast bacilli.

When it spreads to the bones, it is known as skeletal tuberculosis,[4] a form of osteomyelitis.[7] Tuberculosis has been present in humans since ancient times.[8]

Central nervous system infections include tuberculous meningitis, intracranial tuberculomas, and spinal tuberculous arachnoiditis.[4]

  1. ^ Akce, Mehmet; Bonner, Sarah; Liu, Eugene; Daniel, Rebecca (2014). "Peritoneal Tuberculosis Mimicking Peritoneal Carcinomatosis". Case Reports in Medicine. 2014: 1–3. doi:10.1155/2014/436568. ISSN 1687-9627. PMC 3970461. PMID 24715911. CC-BY 3.0
  2. ^ Mazza-Stalder J, Nicod L, Janssens JP (2012). "La tuberculose extrapulmonaire [Extrapulmonary tuberculosis]". Revue des Maladies Respiratoires. 29 (4): 566–578. doi:10.1016/j.rmr.2011.05.021. PMID 22542414.
  3. ^ Ketata W, Rekik WK, Ayadi H, Kammoun S (2015). "Les tuberculoses extrapulmonaires [Extrapulmonary tuberculosis]". Revue de Pneumologie Clinique. 71 (2–3): 83–92. doi:10.1016/j.pneumo.2014.04.001. PMID 25131362.
  4. ^ a b c d e f Golden MP, Vikram HR (2005). "Extrapulmonary tuberculosis: an overview". American Family Physician. 72 (9): 1761–8. PMID 16300038.
  5. ^ Rockwood, RR (August 2007). "Extrapulmonary TB: what you need to know". The Nurse Practitioner. 32 (8): 44–9. doi:10.1097/01.npr.0000282802.12314.dc. PMID 17667766.
  6. ^ Burkitt, H. George (2007). Essential Surgery: Problems, Diagnosis & Management 4th ed. Churchill Livingstone. p. 34. ISBN 9780443103452.
  7. ^ Kumar V, Abbas AK, Fausto N, Mitchell RN (2007). Robbins Basic Pathology (8th ed.). Saunders Elsevier. pp. 516–522. ISBN 978-1-4160-2973-1.
  8. ^ Lawn, SD; Zumla, AI (2 July 2011). "Tuberculosis". Lancet. 378 (9785): 57–72. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(10)62173-3. PMID 21420161. S2CID 208791546.