Disseminated tuberculosis presenting as acute lung injury

Abstract

Tuberculosis presenting as acute lung injury is distinctly uncommon, even in India where tuberculosis an endemic disease. Simultaneously, acute lung injury is a highly fatal complication of tuberculosis. A high index of suspicion is needed to diagnose tuberculosis in such cases. Failure to initiate early treatment can have disastrous consequences as exemplified in this case report. This case attempts to highlight the need to consider tuberculosis as one of the likely causative factors for acute lung injury and the importance of starting empirical antituberculous therapy in suspected cases early.

Keywords

• Acute lung injury
• disseminated tuberculosis
• tuberculosis