Primary gastric fundus tuberculosis in immunocompetent patient: a case report and literature review

• Main Authors: Fahmi Yousef Khan, Ahmed AlAni, Ammar Al-Rikabi, A. Mizrakhshi, Mohamed El-Mudathir Osman
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier
• Series: Brazilian Journal of Infectious Diseases
• Subjects: Gastric tuberculosis; hematemesis; peptic ulcer; stomach perforation
• Online Access: http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1413-86702008000500020&lng=en&tlng=en

We report on a 29-year-old Pakistani man who presented to the clinic with epigastric pain, of one-month duration. He did not report fever, cough, vomiting blood, passing black stools, loss of appetite or diarrhea. However, he had lost 7 kg since his symptoms had begun. Clinical examination was unremarkable. Laboratory results were within normal limits. An abdominal CT scan showed a mass with enhancement in the stomach. Gastric endoscopy revealed an ulcerative mass in the fundus. An endoscopic-biopsy specimen revealed caseating granulomas with acid-fast bacilli. The patient was diagnosed to have primary gastric tuberculosis, and antituberculous medications were initiated. Cultures of the gastric mass subsequently grew Mycobacterium tuberculosis sensitive to isoniazid and rifampcin. Follow-up after six months showed a good response to treatment; an upper gastrointestinal tract endoscopy after six months was normal.