Disseminated tuberculosis manifesting as pulmonary, meningeal and spinal tuberculosis in an immunocompetent patient. 2012

Rajesh Verma, and Tushar B Patil, and Rakesh Lalla
Department of Neurology, Chhatrapati Shahuji Maharaj Medical University, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India. drrajeshverma32@yahoo.com

Disseminated tuberculosis is characterised by concurrent tubercular involvement of two or more non-contiguous organs. It is an unusual presentation of tuberculosis, especially in the absence of immunodeficiency. We describe a young, immunocompetent patient who presented with fever, cough, headache, diplopia and paraparesis. On examination, the patient had positive Kernig's sign, right third cranial nerve palsy and bilateral sixth cranial nerve palsy, bilateral lower limb weakness and crepititions on lung auscultation bilaterally. Chest radiogram revealed bilateral pulmonary tuberculosis. CT of brain showed hydrocephalus and MRI of spine showed collapse of lumbar vertebrae with paravertebral cold abscess. Sputum microscopy was positive for acid fast bacilli, cerebrospinal fluid analysis was suggestive of tubercular meningitis and CT-guided biopsy of the vertebral lesions revealed caseating granulomas with acid fast bacilli. The patient received antitubercular therapy with initial treatment with steroids and he improved clinically at the end of a 9-month treatment.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D007121 Immunocompetence The ability of lymphoid cells to mount a humoral or cellular immune response when challenged by antigen. Competence, Immunologic,Immunologic Competence,Immunological Competence,Competence, Immunological
D008297 Male Males
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000328 Adult A person having attained full growth or maturity. Adults are of 19 through 44 years of age. For a person between 19 and 24 years of age, YOUNG ADULT is available. Adults
D014390 Tuberculosis, Meningeal A form of bacterial meningitis caused by MYCOBACTERIUM TUBERCULOSIS or rarely MYCOBACTERIUM BOVIS. The organism seeds the meninges and forms microtuberculomas which subsequently rupture. The clinical course tends to be subacute, with progressions occurring over a period of several days or longer. Headache and meningeal irritation may be followed by SEIZURES, cranial neuropathies, focal neurologic deficits, somnolence, and eventually COMA. The illness may occur in immunocompetent individuals or as an OPPORTUNISTIC INFECTION in the ACQUIRED IMMUNODEFICIENCY SYNDROME and other immunodeficiency syndromes. (From Adams et al., Principles of Neurology, 6th ed, pp717-9) Meningitis, Tuberculous,TB Meningitis,Tubercular Meningitis,Tuberculosis Meningitis,Tuberculous Hypertrophic Pachymeningitis,Hypertrophic Pachymeningitides, Tuberculous,Hypertrophic Pachymeningitis, Tuberculous,Meningeal Tuberculoses,Meningeal Tuberculosis,Meningitides, Tubercular,Meningitides, Tuberculosis,Meningitides, Tuberculous,Meningitis, Tubercular,Meningitis, Tuberculosis,Pachymeningitides, Tuberculous Hypertrophic,Pachymeningitis, Tuberculous Hypertrophic,TB Meningitides,Tubercular Meningitides,Tuberculoses, Meningeal,Tuberculosis Meningitides,Tuberculous Hypertrophic Pachymeningitides,Tuberculous Meningitides,Tuberculous Meningitis
D014397 Tuberculosis, Pulmonary MYCOBACTERIUM infections of the lung. Pulmonary Consumption,Pulmonary Phthisis,Pulmonary Tuberculoses,Pulmonary Tuberculosis,Tuberculoses, Pulmonary,Consumption, Pulmonary,Consumptions, Pulmonary,Phthises, Pulmonary,Phthisis, Pulmonary,Pulmonary Consumptions,Pulmonary Phthises
D014399 Tuberculosis, Spinal Osteitis or caries of the vertebrae, usually occurring as a complication of tuberculosis of the lungs. Pott Disease,Pott's Disease,Pott's Paraplegia,Disease, Pott,Disease, Pott's,Potts Disease,Spinal Tuberculoses,Spinal Tuberculosis,Tuberculoses, Spinal

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