Primary nasopharyngeal tuberculosis

BMJ Case Rep. 2022 Dec 7;15(12):e251927. doi: 10.1136/bcr-2022-251927.

Abstract

No part of the human body is immune to tuberculosis, the most common site being the lungs. We report a rare case of primary nasopharyngeal tuberculosis without cervical lymphadenopathy nor pulmonary involvement. The only presenting symptom was an intermittent discomfort in the neck and throat. Several biopsies were performed to exclude nasopharyngeal carcinoma and to reach the final diagnosis of tuberculosis. The patient made full recovery following 6 months of treatment with antibiotics. A multidisciplinary approach by ear, nose and throat, radiology, pathology, and infectious disease colleagues was crucial in reaching the diagnosis and managing the patient.

Keywords: Ear, nose and throat/otolaryngology; Pathology; Radiology; TB and other respiratory infections; Tuberculosis.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Humans
  • Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms* / diagnosis
  • Nasopharynx / pathology
  • Neck / pathology
  • Pharynx / pathology
  • Tuberculosis* / diagnosis
  • Tuberculosis* / drug therapy
  • Tuberculosis* / pathology