Journal of Clinical Case Reports

Tuberculosis Infection in the 21st Century: Can We Win?

Abstract

Maria do Rosário André, Aida Pereira and Francisco Antunes

Tuberculosis continues to be a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the 21st century. The rise of multiresistant strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis associated with an increase of disseminated tuberculosis due to the higher numbers of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infected patients is threatening to compromise tuberculosis control worldwide. Here we report a rare case of disseminated tuberculosis, presenting with a wide spectrum of extra pulmonary involvement including prostate and leptomeningeal, and evolving to a fatal outcome due to lack of response to all tuberculostatic drugs used. This paper highlights the clinical complexity of this disease, and the diagnostic and therapeutic challenges that one faces when treating patients with tuberculosis.