Isolated tubercular splenic abscess in an immunocompetent child

Area of Science:

• Pediatric infectious diseases
• Mycobacterial infections
• Abdominal imaging

Background:

• Splenic abscess is a rare pediatric condition.
• Tuberculosis (TB) as a cause of splenic abscess is exceptionally uncommon in immunocompetent children.
• Previous reports typically describe solitary splenic abscesses.

Observation:

• A 12-year-old immunocompetent female presented with fever and abdominal pain.
• Diagnostic imaging revealed multiple abscesses within the spleen.
• No other site of tuberculosis infection was identified.

Findings:

• The patient was diagnosed with multiple splenic abscesses of tubercular origin.
• This presentation is unusual given the patient's immunocompetent status and the multiplicity of splenic lesions.
• The absence of disseminated tuberculosis suggests a localized splenic manifestation.

Implications:

• This case expands the spectrum of splenic tuberculosis presentations in children.
• It underscores the importance of considering tuberculosis in the differential diagnosis of splenic abscesses, even in immunocompetent hosts.
• Further research may be needed to understand the pathogenesis of multiple splenic tuberculomas in the absence of systemic disease.