Summary
Revista Brasileira de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia. 2019;41(9):575-578
Tuberculosis is an infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis. According to data from the World Health Organization, this disease remains one of the leading causes of death worldwide. Although it most commonly affects the lungs, tuberculosis can compromise any organ. The present study reports a rare case of vulvar tuberculosis in a postmenopausal woman with a history of asymptomatic pulmonary and pleural tuberculosis, with no prior documented contact with the bacillus. Diagnosis was based on vulvar lesion biopsies, with histological findings suggestive of infection and isolation of M. tuberculosis by microbiological culture and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) essays. The lesions reverted to normal after tuberculostatic therapy.
Summary
Revista Brasileira de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia. 2002;24(4):241-246
DOI 10.1590/S0100-72032002000400005
Purpose: to make a differential diagnosis in regard to breast carcinoma and to evaluate diagnostic and clinical methods in the treatment of breast tuberculosis and the follow-up after adequate treatment. Patients and Methods: three patients with breast tuberculosis were observed from March 2001 to March 2002; the first two were hospitalized at our Mastology Department and the third patient was treated at a private clinic. The clinical signs and symptoms, laboratory findings, response to therapy and follow-up were evaluated. Results: the average age of the patients was 40.6 years. The most frequent signs and symptoms were pain and breast tumor. In two patients the presumptive diagnosis was based on the clinical findings, on the histological findings (granulomatous inflammatory process), and on the therapeutic response to tuberculostatic drugs. Only one patient had a microbiological diagnosis, as Koch's bacillus was identified in a sample of her breast tissue. Treatment with a triple tuberculostatic regimen, including rifampin, isoniazid and pyrazinamide, led to the regression of the lesions. Conclusion: primary breast tuberculosis, a rare occurrence which may present clinically as a breast nodule and radiologically as carcinoma, should be taken into account when making the differential diagnosis of patients presenting with mammary mass.