Cavitary pulmonary tuberculosis, an unusual pediatric occurrence

Abstract

A 5- years old girl was admitted in our pediatric center with cough and persistent fever for the previous 3 weeks, before her admission in our center she had acute gastroenteritis whence in a second level hospital suspected typhoid fever nevertheless due to persistent cough and fever she was transferred to our center, during her hospitalization the medical team made all workup to confirm tuberculosis disease and the results were:  positive mantoux test (size 13 mm), positives bacilloscopics and chest x- ray showed left apical cavitation (fulfilling 16 points of the Stegen and Toledo Score); a computer thoracic axial tomography was also ordered, which showed a cavitated lesion at the level of the left upper lobe, posterior apical segment with thick septate walls having all those clinical and radiological manifestations treatment was started 4 antituberculosis drugs (isoniazid, rifampin, pyrazinamide and ethambutol) after that our patient was discharged and she completed 6 months with this therapy and the clinical response was satisfactory.