[A case of miliary tuberculosis with high-grade fever that remitted without antituberculosis therapy]

Abstract

A 23-year-old man was admitted with a persistent high-grade fever of 20 days duration. Chest roentgenogram showed diffuse miliary shadows in both lung fields, highly suggestive of miliary tuberculosis. Sputum, gastric juice, and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid did not, however, reveal acid-fast bacilli on smears. A bone marrow aspirate and a transbronchial lung biopsy were also negative for caseating granulomas and tubercule bacilli. After admission, the high-grade fever remitted in several days without continuous antibiotic, antituberculosis or antipyretic therapy. Levels of inflammatory markers (CRP, ESR, alpha 2-globulin dropped simultaneously. Despite the atypical clinical course, miliary tuberculosis was suspected. We therefore carried out an open lung biopsy. The presence of caseating granulomas and acid-fast bacilli confirmed the diagnosis of miliary tuberculosis. The remission of miliary tuberculosis without treatment is very rare and the details of this case are presented herein with a discussion of the pertinent literature.