37-year-old man suffering from Rare Intestinal Tuberculosis treated

A 37-year-old man who was suffering from Rare Intestinal Tuberculosis has got a fresh ease of life after successful treatment.

A team headed by Dr Samrat Shah, Internal Medicine Expert, at Apollo Spectra in Pune successfully treated the patient, who hails from Mumbai.

Prolonged cough and frequent fatigue are symptoms of tuberculosis. However, a longer duration of fever can also be a sign of tuberculosis. Due to the availability of treatment for tuberculosis, this disease is often neglected. There are many misconceptions people have about tuberculosis. TB not only occurs in the lungs but even in the intestines.

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The patient was suffering from severe fever for the past 10 days. Even after medication, the fever did not subside. He was advised to get tested by the local doctor for Malaria, Typhoid, and Dengue. However, these medical tests turned out to be negative.

The patient was tested for autoimmune disease and abdominal sonography was done and the reports were normal. Colonoscopy and endoscopy were then performed, which revealed large and small bowel ulcers. Normally ulcers in both small and large bowel are seen in a disease called Crohn's disease, a type of inflammatory bowel disease. Hence, a biopsy was done which did not show signs of Crohn's disease. Later, the patient was tested for tuberculosis and tested positive for the same. In medical terms, this condition is called intestinal TB.

"Patient had a fever of 103 degrees. Even after medication, the fever did not subside. A colonoscopy and biopsy revealed the presence of an ulcer in the patient's intestines called intestinal tuberculosis. In such a situation, immediate treatment is necessary. Accordingly, the patient was started on medication. Now the patient is doing well and the fever has subsided,” said Dr Shah.

“‘TB can occur in any part of the large intestine. But ulcers do not occur in the small intestine. However, in the case of this patient, 75 per cent of the ulcers were found to be in the small intestine and they became inflamed. This disease can be fatal if not diagnosed and treated on time. There are three types of intestinal tuberculosis. In ulcerative tuberculosis, there is an ulcer of the intestines. This problem is found in 60 per cent of patients," Dr Shah said.

"In hypertrophic tuberculosis, the intestines become thick and hard. This problem is observed in 10 per cent of patients. Whereas in ulcerative hypertrophy both ulcers and obstruction develop in the intestines. Thirty percent of such patients are found. Ulcerative intestinal tuberculosis is usually secondary to pulmonary tuberculosis. Symptoms include abdominal pain, diarrhea, loss of appetite, fever, weakness, weight loss, and abdominal cramps. If such a condition is found, it is necessary to consult a doctor immediately,” he added.