Disseminated Tuberculosis with Cutaneous Findings in an Immunocompetent Patient: A Case Report

Elizabeth M Hanson; Rawle Seupaul; Carly Eastin

doi:10.1016/j.jemermed.2023.08.004

Disseminated Tuberculosis with Cutaneous Findings in an Immunocompetent Patient: A Case Report

J Emerg Med. 2024 Jan;66(1):e29-e32. doi: 10.1016/j.jemermed.2023.08.004. Epub 2023 Aug 26.

Authors

Elizabeth M Hanson¹, Rawle Seupaul¹, Carly Eastin¹

Affiliation

¹ Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock Arkansas.

PMID: 37891067
DOI: 10.1016/j.jemermed.2023.08.004

Abstract

Background: Tuberculosis (TB) is one of the leading causes of infectious disease, and emergency medicine providers are often the first physicians to encounter patients with untreated or undiagnosed disease.

Case report: We present the case of a 30-year old man with disseminated TB with multiple musculoskeletal and subcutaneous tubercular abscesses. The diagnosis was suspected in the Emergency Department, but his inpatient treatment was complicated by various social issues. WHY SHOULD AN EMERGENCY PHYSICIAN BE AWARE OF THIS?: This case highlights uncommon examination findings of TB and illustrates the importance of considering this disease when treating patients who present with atypical manifestations of it.

Keywords: case report; extrapulmonary tuberculosis; tubercular abscess.

Publication types

Case Reports

MeSH terms

Abscess* / diagnosis
Adult
Humans
Male
Tuberculosis*