Primary Hepatosplenic Tuberculosis in an Immunocompetent Adult and Domestic Literature Review

Abstract

Hepatic or splenic involvement of tuberculosis without other disseminated lesions is a very uncommon form of extrapulmonary tuberculosis, especially in an immunocompetent adult. We report a case of a 25 year-old-man who developed primary hepatosplenic tuberculosis not associated with the lung or other distant organs. He was initially diagnosed with esophageal candidiasis in local clinic. A computed tomographic scan of the abdomen showed hepatosplenomegaly and multiple microabscesses in the spleen. Our initial diagnosis, based on the clinical feature and radiologic findings, was hepatosplenic candidiasis. However, histopathology of the liver specimens revealed chronic granuloma with central caseous necrosis, strongly suggestive of tuberculosis. Although rare, splenic tuberculosis should be considered in the differential diagnosis of splenic abscess, especially in countries where tuberculosis is endemic.