Pleural tuberculosis: case report

Abstract

Introduction: Ecuador is an area with a high incidence of tuberculosis, making this disease a public health problem that carries a high risk of contagion to health personnel when exposed to symptomatic respiratory patients. Worldwide in 2020 there were a total of 9.9 million cases, however, the timely diagnosis of pleural tuberculosis is difficult because it is a rare extrapulmonary pathology.

Objective: To describe a clinical case of extrapulmonary tuberculosis and its timely diagnosis for early treatment.

Materials and methods: Descriptive, retrospective study, case presentation.

Results: We present the case of a patient with extrapulmonary tuberculosis with recurrent pleural effusion, initially diagnosed as community pneumonia without improvement. The diagnosis of pleural tuberculosis was established based on clinical criteria, imaging studies, finding of lymphocytosis and elevated ADA (61 U/L) in the pleural fluid.

Conclusions: Elevated ADA (>40 U/L) plus lymphocytosis in pleural fluid should alert the diagnosis of pleural tuberculosis and establish early treatment.