The great imitator: Tuberculosis with lymphadenopathy and splenomegaly
Ashton D. Hall,
Laura Victoria Medina Rodriguez,
Jared Vearrier,
Kavya Patel,
Bryan C. Hambley,
Moises A. Huaman
Affiliations
Ashton D. Hall
Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA; Correspondence to: Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, 3230 Eden Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45267, USA.
Laura Victoria Medina Rodriguez
Universidad Peruana de Ciencias Aplicadas, Lima, Peru
Jared Vearrier
Department of Radiology, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA
Kavya Patel
Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA
Bryan C. Hambley
Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA
Moises A. Huaman
Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA
Tuberculosis (TB) is a leading infectious killer worldwide. Over two-thirds of new TB diagnoses in the United States occur among first-generation immigrants, especially within a year of migration. Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) accounts for a minority of lymphoma cases but presents similarly to disseminated or extrapulmonary TB. Clinical overlap between TB and HL increases patient risk of misdiagnosis. Concomitant presentation of both diseases is not uncommon but infrequently reported. We present a case of isoniazid-resistant TB with progressively worsening lymphadenopathy and splenomegaly despite appropriate TB treatment. The patient was diagnosed with HL following PET/CT and axillary lymph node biopsy.
