Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 12, 2026

Chronic Salmonella Infection Induced Intestinal Fibrosis
Published on: September 22, 2019
Case of intestinal tuberculosis mimicking Crohn's disease
Brock D Foster1, Brian Buchberg, Nimisha K Parekh
1Department of Surgery, University of California, Irvine Medical Center, Orange, CA, U.S.A.
Background:
Intestinal tuberculosis can closely mimic Crohn's disease and colon cancer. Presented here is a case of intestinal tuberculosis that closely mimicked both.
Case Report:
A 23 year old Hispanic female presented with several months of weight loss, recurrent fever, and emesis. The patient did not have pulmonary symptoms or radiographic evidence of tuberculosis. Colonoscopy evaluation with biopsy of the affected bowel segments were thought to be consistent with either colon cancer or Crohn's Disease. Acid fast bacilli staining and histological analysis did not display evidence of tuberculosis on two separate occasions. The patient developed colonic obstruction acutely during the course of treatment requiring resection of the affected bowel segment. Acid fast staining of the resected lymph nodes was positive and submucosal caseating granulomas were identified histologically, consistent with intestinal tuberculosis.
Conclusions:
Intestinal tuberculosis remains a diagnostic challenge. Consideration of the disease should be maintained in equivocal cases.
Related Concept Videos
Inflammatory Bowel Disease II: Crohn's Disease
Inflammatory bowel disease, commonly known as IBD, refers to a collection of disorders that lead to persistent inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract. The two types of IBD are ulcerative colitis, which impacts the colon, and Crohn's disease, which can involve any part of the gastrointestinal segment.
Crohn's disease
Crohn's disease is a chronic, systemic inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that predominantly affects the gastrointestinal tract. It is marked by transmural...
Inflammatory Bowel Disease IV: Clinical Manifestations
Inflammatory Bowel Disease I: Introduction
Inflammatory Bowel Disease III: Crohn's Disease
Pulmonary Tuberculosis III
The first classification is based on the development of the disease, and it includes the following categories:
Chronic Bowel Disorders: Introduction
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is a common disorder affecting the gastrointestinal tract. The distinctive feature is recurrent abdominal pain associated with altered bowel movements, manifesting as constipation, diarrhea, or fluctuating between both. The...