Latent pelvic tuberculosis reactivating in a postmenopausal woman: a case report.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Tuberculosis most often affects the pulmonary system; however, 8-15% of cases infect the genitourinary system. The primary treatment of uterine tuberculosis is medical therapy, and only when that fails is surgical intervention warranted.

CASE:

A 75-year-old woman presented with chronic back pain and fatigue. She had been on prednisone for 9 years for autoimmune hepatitis and had earlier exposure to tuberculosis. Evaluation led to the diagnosis of uterine tuberculosis. The patient was unable to tolerate a full course of antituberculin therapy, so she underwent an abdominal hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy.

CONCLUSION:

We believe the patient had latent uterine tuberculosis that was reactivated from her chronic steroid use. If she had a purified protein derivative test prior to the start of prednisone therapy, latent tuberculosis may have been diagnosed and treated before she developed a clinically active infection.

• Authors: Howard B Goldstein, Robert P Siefring
• Journal: The Journal of reproductive medicine (J Reprod Med) Vol. 51 Issue 9 Pg. 736-8 (Sep 2006) ISSN: 0024-7758 [Print] United States
• PMID: 17039707 (Publication Type: Case Reports, Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Antitubercular Agents
• Ethambutol
• Isoniazid
• Rifampin

Topics

• Aged
• Antitubercular Agents (therapeutic use)
• Ethambutol (therapeutic use)
• Female
• Hepatitis, Autoimmune (complications)
• Humans
• Hysterectomy
• Isoniazid (therapeutic use)
• Ovariectomy
• Recurrence
• Rifampin (therapeutic use)
• Tuberculosis, Female Genital (complications, diagnosis, therapy)