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Case Reports
. 2024;78(3):247-249.
doi: 10.5455/medarh.2024.78.247-249.

Miliary Tuberculosis in a Two-Year-Old Child: A Case Report from a Low-Prevalence Region

Gianluca Dini  1 , Sara Ceccarelli  1 , Barbara Vecchi  2 , Federica Celi  2
Affiliations
Case Reports

Miliary Tuberculosis in a Two-Year-Old Child: A Case Report from a Low-Prevalence Region

Gianluca Dini et al. Med Arch. 2024.

Abstract

Background: Tuberculosis (TB) remains the leading cause of death caused by a single infectious agent.

Objective: We report a case of miliary TB in a 2-year-old child who presented with a history of constipation, weight loss, marked abdominal distension with hepatosplenomegaly.

Case presentation: In children, TB often presents with a wide range of non-specific clinical and radiological manifestations, making diagnosis challenging, particularly in regions with low prevalence. We report the case of a two-year-old female with a history of constipation, weight loss, marked abdominal distension with hepatosplenomegaly, who was later diagnosed with miliary tuberculosis.

Conclusion: This case highlights an unusual presentation of miliary TB in a very young child, a demographic in which it is infrequently observed. Miliary TB remains a severe and potentially fatal condition, particularly when diagnosis and treatment are delayed. The diagnosis is usually made based on the clinical presentation, supported by a classic miliary pattern on chest X-ray.

Keywords: Miliary tuberculosis; child; infectious disease.

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Conflict of interest statement

There are no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.. AP chest X-ray at the time of hospitalization demonstrated an extensive consolidation in the right perihilar region.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.. (A, B) Chest CT scan without contrast: presence of a large lung lesion at the level of the right middle lobe (arrow). Multiple lymphadenopathies in the thoracoabdominal area and some scattered micronodules in a random distribution in both lungs. (C, D) Abdominal CT scan: abundant layer of peritoneal effusion with a compressive effect on the small intestinal loops, peritoneal thickening with multiple attached nodularities.
Figure 3.
Figure 3.. AP chest X-ray at the end of the treatment showed a nodular density in the right upper lobe.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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