Successful treatment of extra-pulmonary tuberculosis presenting concomitantly with acute myeloid leukemia

There were reports of the occurrence of TB during therapy for leukemia with possible complications. In patients with acute leukemia, therapy might be delayed or complicated by the presence of tuberculosis.

We present a patient who was diagnosed with acute leukemia and concomitant tuberculosis.

The patient's therapy of leukemia had to be delayed and he had relapse of leukemia but was subsequently treated successfully for both diseases despite a prolonged culture positivity for tuberculosis. He required a prolonged course of therapy and additional secondary anti-tuberculosis therapy.

The possibility of tuberculosis should be considered in the differential diagnosis of patients with pneumonia, persistent fever, and those with focal signs or symptoms suggestive of tuberculosis. Despite having a sensitive organism, the infection was difficult to treat, even with the addition of two second-line drugs. The standard anti-tuberculosis therapy is usually adequate, but response may be slow, and inadequate even if the organism is sensitive requiring the addition of second-line agents.