Intestinal tuberculosis: a challenge diagnosis

Abstract

Background: tuberculosis is a public health problem to a world scale. It is a systemic illness that can rarely affect the gastrointestinal tract and it is not very frequent in pediatrics. Its diagnosis constitutes a great challenge. Objective: to present the case of an adolescent with digestive issues as first symptoms of intestinal tuberculosis. Presentation of the case: 15 year-old patient, masculine, with history of abdominal pain, chronic diarrheas, loss of weight and fever with chills. For this symptomatology he was remitted to our gastroenterology consultation. Conclusions: the intestinal tuberculosis should be suspected in pediatric patients with symptoms of intestinal malabsorption. Clinical improvement of the digestive issues was observed after beginning with the antituberculous treatment. DeCS: TUBERCULOSIS, GASTROINTESTINAL/diagnosis; TUBERCULOSIS, GASTROINTESTINAL/therapy; MALABSORPTION SYNDROMES/therapy; ADOLESCENT; GRANULOMA.