Tuberculosis presenting as inflammatory bowel disease. Report of two cases

Two cases are reported of idiopathic inflammatory total colitis in patients with a previous history of tuberculosis. One showed colonoscopic and radiologic features of Crohn's disease and the other was diagnosed as ulcerative colitis. Tuberculous organisms were identified in the mesenteric nodes in one patient, but were not detected in the other. Both patients improved with antituberculous treatment. This report emphasizes the importance of considering tuberculosis in patients presenting with idiopathic inflammatory bowel disease of the colon and raises speculation of the possible infective etiology of Crohn's disease.