Artikel
Mycobacterium tuberculosis strikes back. A case of laryngeal tuberculosis and review of ENT-related tuberculosis symptoms
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Veröffentlicht: | 14. April 2014 |
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Gliederung
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Tuberculosis is a chronic bacterial infection caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis which by its cell-mediated immunity forms characteristic granuloma in the affected tissue. The incidence of tuberculosis is now rising due to the increasing incidence of immune deficiency states and deteriorated socio-economic status of some population groups.
Our aim was to turn back the attention to the increasing chance of ORL presentation of tuberculosis.
We present a case of a 74-year-old patient with laryngeal tuberculosis. He had basal pleural effusion and was referred to our department because of dysphonia and dysphagia for about a month. The fiberoptic laryngeal examination revealed bilateral granulomatous growths on the posterior thirds of the true vocal cords. The patient’s sputum was negative for M. tuberculosis, but the ADA test from the pleural effusion turned out positive. He was treated with triple tuberculostatic drug therapy. Two months later on a follow-up the lesions were almost completely resolved.
ENT manifestations of tuberculosis are rare, and are usually secondary to pulmonary involvement. Tuberculosis infection should always be considered in the differential diagnosis of laryngeal tumors, papillomatosis, chronic laryngitis and cervical lymphadenopathy. The collaboration with pulmologists and the serological tests are crucial for the proper treatment.
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