Background: Tuberculosis is a leading cause of mortality and morbidity in many countries across the world, including Pakistan. While systemic tuberculosis can involve any organ of the body, tubercular liver abscess is a rare presentation. Case Report: We report the case of an 8-year-old female from a developing country where tuberculosis poses a significant burden on the health care system. The patient presented with fever and weight loss for 6 months and abdominal pain for 14 days. On examination, she had tenderness and guarding over the right hypochondrium. Investigations revealed neutrophilic predominance in the complete blood count and elevated C-reactive protein. Imaging of the abdomen revealed ruptured liver abscess, extensive abdominal lymphadenopathy, and thrombus in the inferior vena cava. Gastric secretions were positive for Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Treatment included antitubercular and antithrombotic therapy. The patient was closely followed until she had completed the 1-year course of antitubercular therapy and was symptom-free. Conclusion: In tuberculosis-endemic countries, physicians should keep a high index of suspicion for tuberculosis in children who present with liver abscess and multisystem involvement.
Keywords: Antitubercular agents; Mycobacterium tuberculosis; liver abscess; thrombosis; tuberculosis; vena cava–inferior.
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