AbstractIntroduction: Tuberculosis is the most common health problem caused by Mycobacterium, a non-motile, non spore forming aerobic acid fast bacilli. It is of two types, pulmonary and extrapulmonary. Extrapulmonary tuberculosis is the isolated occurrence of tuberculosis in any part of the body other than lungs like lymph nodes, neck, bones and serous membranes. We have undertaken this study to evaluate the clinicomorphological features of extrapulmonary tuberculosis. Materials and Methods: A prospective study was done in the Department of Pathology, Narayana Medical College, Nellore, for 2 years from 2014 to 2016. Extrapulmonary tuberculosis was identified constituting 125 cases (11%) of the total cases. Clinical data was recorded and the biopsy specimens were processed in our department and the data was analysed. Results: Cervical lymph node was the most common site involved by extrapulmonary tuberculosis in our study. The most common age group involved was 20-30 years with loss of weight being the most common presenting feature in these cases. Most of the cases were negative for AFB in both sputum and culture. Histopathological examination which is the gold standard for diagnosis proved to be positive in 72% of the cases. Conclusion: Our study on extrapulmonary tuberculosis has been done to review the various clinico-morphological aspects of the disease. Cervical lymph nodes were the most common site involved, 60 cases (18.3%) followed next by the osteoarticular system, 19 cases (18.3%).
Keywords: Extrapulmonary; Lymph node; Tuberculosis.