[Urogenital tuberculosis. Diagnostic aspects]

Urogenital tuberculosis still represents a major urologic problem in the northern part of Africa, and it is a serious disease because its diagnosis is usually late. Furthermore, the affection is frequently bilateral, which may cause the renal failure. 86 cases of urogenital tuberculosis have been reviewed. Our patients were young adults (average age: 34 year old). Cystitis is the most frequent sign (74%), hematuria, lumbar pain, genital signs and nephrologic signs are not rare. Urine was negative in 46 patients, and amicrobial leucocyturia was present in 24 cases. Diagnosis relies on a range of signs, especially intravenous pyelography that has an important place. Endoscopic biopsy did confirm the diagnosis of tuberculosis in 12 patients. Generally, definitive diagnosis was based on the histologic study of the operative specimen.