Simultaneous occurrence of tubercular cervical and mediastinal lymphadenopathy in two members of the same family

Abstract

Tuberculosis (TB) is a major public health problem, with India alone accounting for one-fifth of the global disease burden. Lymph node TB (LNTB) refers to Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) infection of the lymph nodes and may occur as the sole manifestation of TB infection or alongside pulmonary or miliary TB. LNTB is the most common form of extrapulmonary TB (EPTB) in India, accounting for around 35% of EPTB cases, with cervical lymphadenopathy being the most common site, followed by mediastinal lymphadenopathy. Tubercular mediastinal lymphadenopathy, however, in the absence of a parenchymal lesion, is a rare presentation and is seen in only 0.25 to 5.8% cases. Often associated with mild or no symptoms, these cases are often diagnosed incidentally. This case report summarizes an unusual occurrence of massive tubercular mediastinal lymphadenopathy simultaneously in two members of a family.

Keywords

• tuberculosis
• extra-pulmonary tuberculosis
• tuberculous lymphadenitis