[Rare abdominal manifestations of tuberculosis: isolated splenic tuberculosis and peritoneal tuberculosis]

Two patients with rare localizations of extrapulmonary tuberculosis are presented. In a 55-year-old man admitted with septic fever and a low neutrophil count, ultrasonography of the spleen revealed splenomegaly with numerous hypodense foci. Fine needle biopsy of one of the foci disclosed tuberculosis. Persistent splenogenic neutropenia and thrombocytopenia, despite tuberculostatic therapy, required splenectomy which confirmed the initial diagnosis. At laparotomy no other abdominal foci of tuberculosis were found. In a second 57-year-old man admitted for ascites and weight loss, a biopsy specimen of the liver showed normal liver parenchyma but, by chance, peritoneal tuberculosis. Tuberculostatic therapy brought about cure.