Case Report: Lingual Tuberculosis Reveaed by a Cold Abcess

Area of Science:

• Medicine
• Infectious Diseases
• Oncology

Background:

• Tuberculosis (TB) is a global infectious disease, primarily affecting the lungs.
• Extrapulmonary TB occurs less frequently, with lingual (tongue) involvement being exceptionally rare, accounting for less than 1% of cases.
• Primary lingual tuberculosis, without a known pulmonary source, is seldom documented.

Purpose of the Study:

• To report a rare case of primary tuberculosis of the tongue presenting as a cold abscess.
• To emphasize the importance of histological confirmation for diagnosing rare presentations of lingual tuberculosis.
• To illustrate the successful treatment outcome of primary lingual tuberculosis.

Main Methods:

• A case study of a 46-year-old patient with a lingual cold abscess.
• Histological examination of a biopsy from the lingual lesion for diagnosis.
• Treatment with a standard six-month regimen of anti-tuberculosis drugs.

Main Results:

• The patient, a 46-year-old male with a history of alcohol and tobacco use, presented with a lingual cold abscess.
• Histological analysis confirmed the diagnosis of tuberculosis.
• The patient achieved a complete cure after six months of anti-tuberculosis therapy.

Conclusions:

• Primary tuberculosis of the tongue is an uncommon condition.
• A lingual cold abscess is an exceptional presentation of primary lingual tuberculosis.
• Histological examination following biopsy is crucial for accurate diagnosis and timely management.