Tuberculosis of the larynx
De Bree, R.; Chung, R.P.; van Aken, J.; van den Brekel, M.W.
Nederlands Tijdschrift Voor Geneeskunde 142(29): 1676-1680
1998
ISSN/ISBN: 0028-2162 PMID: 9763859 Document Number: 485215
Laryngeal tuberculosis was diagnosed in two men, a 73-year-old man Dutch by birth and a 40-year-old one Turkish by birth. In the former patient it was probably primary tuberculosis, in the latter secondary (he had lung tuberculosis as well). The clinical picture was highly suggestive of laryngeal carcinoma in both patients. They both recovered with chemotherapy. Laryngeal tuberculosis may mimic laryngeal carcinoma. The diagnosis is based on Ziehl-Neelsen staining, culture and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) on Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Because laryngeal tuberculosis is highly infectious, the patient has to be nursed in isolation and people in his or her environment have to be screened. The response of laryngeal tuberculosis to chemotherapy is good.