[Head and neck tuberculosis]

Since the advent of antituberculous therapy, the incidence of the tuberculosis has decreased. However, the number of cases of both pulmonary and extrapulmonary tuberculosis have risen recently, especially in urban areas of Japan. The recent increase in tuberculous infections is of special concern to otolaryngologists as a greater proportion of cases will have extrapulmonary involvement with head and neck manifestations. Mycobacterium tuberculosis has been reported to cause infectious lesions in a wide variety of sites in the head and neck. The most common extrapulmonary site in the head and neck for tuberculosis is the cervix. Other head and neck sites with frequent reported involvement include the larynx and middle ear. In the present paper, clinical features of tuberculous infections of the head and neck are reviewed and the recommendations in the management of this disorder are presented.