TB Research

TB or Not TB, That is the Question?

Ellen McAuliffe, Bryan Renton

British Journal of Hospital Medicine · 2024-10

Abstract

A 26-year-old female presented with a 3-month history of dry cough, unintentional weight loss, night sweats and fatigue. Her background history was significant for ulcerative colitis, managed with Adalimumab for almost 2 years. Clinical examination was unremarkable, apart from some mild pallor. Abnormal chest x-ray findings prompted a computerised tomography (CT) thorax which demonstrated multifocal peri-bronchial consolidation. The differential diagnosis was multifocal organising pneumonia and tuberculosis (TB). Extensive investigations, including invasive bronchial imaging and biopsy, ultimately ruled out TB. This paper reports a case of Adalimumab-induced organising pneumonia and discusses its clinical implications.

MeSH terms

  • Medicine
  • Pallor
  • Tuberculosis
  • Pneumonia
  • Differential diagnosis
  • Adalimumab
  • Thorax (insect anatomy)
  • Medical history
  • Radiology
  • Surgery