[Mediastinal tuberculous adenopathies in Djibouti. Report of 159 cases]

One hundred and fifty-nine cases of confirmed mediastinal tuberculous adenopathy were analysed retrospectively. This series, which is the first reported in French-speaking Africa, shows that the disease is not uncommon there, and not restricted to black Africans living in Europe. The clinical symptoms are not specific. Radiography is more interesting, and the extreme scarcity of bacillys-containing expectoration encourages endoscopy. The finding of a fistula at fibroscopy confirms the diagnosis. This easy examination is particularly useful since M. tuberculosis can be grown in cultures from ground bronchial fistula biopsies in 86% of the cases. Associated tuberculous lesions in other sites are very frequent (45%), as is extension of the disease from lymph nodes to lung tissue (79%). This clinical form of tuberculosis can be treated with modern short course chemotherapy which is remarkably effective.