Breast Abcess and Tuberculosis and its Diagnostic Challenges: A Two-Year Prospective Study in Karachi, Pakistan

Breast tuberculosis (TB) is rare among extrapulmonary tuberculosis cases, and the diagnosis is usually preceded by a high index of suspicion and findings of granulomatous lesions. We conducted this study to evaluate different clinical presentations of breast TB, including its diagnosis and association with lactation. We also examined the association of breast TB with TB elsewhere in the body and contact history. This prospective, descriptive study was conducted at a tertiary care hospital in Karachi, Pakistan from March 2017 to March 2019. The study population consisted of 100 women of age ranging from 30 to 39 years after 10 patients were lost to follow-up. After providing informed written consent and a histopathology or culture report, participants completed a proforma. We used IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 22.0 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY) to analyze the data, which were kept confidential. Twenty-four patients had diabetes, while 36 patients had no comorbidities. The most consistent symptoms were breast pain (98%), breast lump (89%), fever (83%), and discharge (45%). Of the 100 women, 34 were diagnosed with TB, while 66 women had nonspecific inflammation. Sixty-nine women were lactating, and 31 were nonlactating. Of the 69 lactating women, 21 had been diagnosed with TB while 48 had nonspecific inflammation. TB represents a great burden in underdeveloped countries like Pakistan. Therefore, concerned departments must take necessary action to facilitate early diagnosis and prompt treatment.