Multisystemic tuberculosis: An unusual form of presentation

• Main Authors: Sepúlveda-Otálvaro, Cristian, Morales-Múnera, Olga Lucía, Palacio-Petri, Silvia
• Format: Article
• Language: Spanish
• Published: Universidad de Antioquia 2015-10-01
• Series: Iatreia
• Subjects: Children; Extrapulmonary; Tuberculosis
• Online Access: http://aprendeenlinea.udea.edu.co/revistas/index.php/iatreia/article/view/21924/19952

Worldwide, tuberculosis is still an important cause of illness and death among children. They are particularly vulnerable to this disease when it is disseminated and severe. The two main risk factors for the progression of the disease are age and the immune status; neonates and infants are most frequently affected. Disseminated disease is often the result of a primary infection in childhood and may be fatal or leave permanent sequelae. Proper treatment improves survival and reduces long-term mortality. Given the importance of this type of tuberculosis in children, and the low index of suspicion, the description of clinical cases is important in order to get a better understanding of its mechanisms. We report the case of a Colombian indigenous infant with an extensive tuberculosis; risk factors and clinical manifestations of disseminated tuberculosis in this population are discussed.