Tuberculous spondylitis or Pott’s disease – a relic of the past?

Czech version

Authors: Bača Uboš ¹; Magner Martin ²; Martinů Vendula ³; Doležalová Karolína ¹
Authors‘ workplace: Pediatrická klinika, 1. LF UK, a Fakultní Thomayerova, nemocnice, Praha ¹; Klinika pediatrie a dědičných, poruch metabolismu, 1. LF UK, a VFN, Praha ²; Pediatrická klinika, 2. LF UK, a FN Motol, Praha ³
Published in: Čes-slov Pediat 2023; 78 (1): 20-25.
Category:
doi: https://doi.org/10.55095/CSPediatrie2023/003

Overview

Tuberculosis (TB) is a disease caused by a group of bacteria, collectively named the M. tuberculosis complex. In most cases, tuberculosis in children affects the lungs (80%) but can affect any other organ (extrapulmonary tuberculosis). Although the Czech Republic is a country with a low incidence of tuberculosis (< 5 cases per 100 000 population per year),(1) severe and rare forms of extrapulmonary tuberculosis occur.

This case report presents a one-year-old girl with coincident pulmonary and two extrapulmonary forms of tuberculosis (spine and brain). The patient due to persistent X-ray opacification underwent other diagnostic examinations verifying lung tuberculosis. The surprising finding was thoracic spondylitis with abscess and tuberculomas in the CNS. We achieved good clinical progresswith antituberculosis treatment, spine surgery intervention, and a multidisciplinary approach.

Keywords:

tuberculosis – extrapulmonary tuberculosis – osteoarticular tuberculosis – Pott’s disease – basilar meningitis – tuberculoma

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