Female genital tuberculosis--a disease seen again in Europe

Abstract

Background: Dramatic worsening of epidemiological situation with tuberculosis (TB) in the world has made extra-pulmonary tuberculosis actual again. Female genital TB is very rare, but each case still remains a serious medical problem.

Case report: A 23-year-old human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) seronegative woman with two-month duration amenorrhea underwent surgery due to lower abdominal mass simulating a left ovary carcinoma, suggested by ultrasound examinations. During sampling, we found a mass of round, up to 3 mm, necrotizing nodules, diffuse in the uterus, ovarian and tubarial surfaces, in cervical and endometrial mucosa, and even in myometrium and fat omental tissue. No tumor mass was found. Microscopically, the tissue samples from all reproductive organs and omentum contained numerous tuberculous caseating granulomas. Mycobacteria were identified by Ziehl-Neelsen method. Antituberculosis treatment had been completed.

Conclusion: In the differential diagnosis of an ovarian tumor and ascites TB should always be considered. It should also be suspected in recent Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection in younger women with amenorrhea, either HIV-seropositive or not.