Extra Pulmonary Tuberculosis Manifesting as Liver Abscess

Cureus. 2024 Oct 7;16(10):e70988. doi: 10.7759/cureus.70988. eCollection 2024 Oct.

Abstract

Liver abscess is a rare presentation of extrapulmonary tuberculosis. It may present with nonspecific symptoms such as fever, weight loss and abdominal pain and requires a high degree of suspicion. We present a case of a 57-year-old male previously treated for a liver abscess and presented with abdominal pain, vomiting and fever and a contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CECT) showed a loculated liver abscess. Ultrasound-guided aspiration of the pus was sent for GeneXpert MTB (Cepheid, Sunnyvale, CA, USA) and mycobacterial culture which confirmed the diagnosis. The patient was started on anti-tubercular therapy and clinically improved.

Keywords: extrapulmonary tuberculosis; genexpert in hepatic abscess; hepatic tuberculosis; isolated tubercular liver abscess; mixed infection pyogenic and tubercular liver abscess.

Publication types

  • Case Reports