We present the case of a 43-year-old Italian woman with a left undiagnosed pleural effusion, which in subsequent months presented a clinically unexpected evolution with the appearance at first of a right wrist tenosynovitis and subsequently a bilateral lung involvement caused by M. Tuberculosis. With this case report, we would like to underline the importance of making a correct diagnosis of any pleural effusion as soon as possible by at least a thoracocentesis. If untreated, tuberculosis may easily disseminate to other organs. Some considerations and suggestions for antibiotic treatment of pleural effusion will also be given, since many antibiotics have some anti-tuberculosis effect and may delay the diagnosis of this infectious disease.

An undiagnosed pleural effusion with surprising consequences / Casalini, A. G.; Cusmano, Ferdinando; Sverzellati, N.; Mori, P. A.; Majori, M.. - In: RESPIRATORY MEDICINE CASE REPORTS. - ISSN 2213-0071. - 22:(2017), pp. 53-56. [10.1016/j.rmcr.2017.05.007]

An undiagnosed pleural effusion with surprising consequences

CUSMANO, Ferdinando;Sverzellati, N.;Majori, M.
2017-01-01

Abstract

We present the case of a 43-year-old Italian woman with a left undiagnosed pleural effusion, which in subsequent months presented a clinically unexpected evolution with the appearance at first of a right wrist tenosynovitis and subsequently a bilateral lung involvement caused by M. Tuberculosis. With this case report, we would like to underline the importance of making a correct diagnosis of any pleural effusion as soon as possible by at least a thoracocentesis. If untreated, tuberculosis may easily disseminate to other organs. Some considerations and suggestions for antibiotic treatment of pleural effusion will also be given, since many antibiotics have some anti-tuberculosis effect and may delay the diagnosis of this infectious disease.
2017
An undiagnosed pleural effusion with surprising consequences / Casalini, A. G.; Cusmano, Ferdinando; Sverzellati, N.; Mori, P. A.; Majori, M.. - In: RESPIRATORY MEDICINE CASE REPORTS. - ISSN 2213-0071. - 22:(2017), pp. 53-56. [10.1016/j.rmcr.2017.05.007]
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11381/2837534
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