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Abstract

Tuberculosis is a disease that affects millions of individuals worldwide every year.1 Most cases present as pulmonary tuberculosis, though there are rare reports of abdominal tuberculosis. These presentations make up only 1-3% of all tuberculosis cases worldwide.1 Symptoms are often vague, presenting as abdominal pain, discomfort, or weight changes.2 These symptoms can be misdiagnosed for other more common gastrointestinal disorders. Unfortunately, misdiagnosis or a prolongation in diagnosis can lead to worsened patient outcome due to delay of initiation of antitubercular therapy.3 It is therefore imperative that providers understand the spectrum of symptoms associated with this illness as well as having a high clinical suspicion for patients at risk. Incorporating this knowledge and using a thorough diagnostic work up to confirm this disease is crucial, as delay of care can lead to poor patient prognosis or death.3

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