Laryngeal tuberculosis – case report and systematic review

Abstract

Romania has the highest notification rate of tuberculosis (TB) in the European Union, five times the reported average. Nonetheless, the incidence of laryngeal tuberculosis (LTB) is low, most cases being diagnosed only in the large medical centers of the country. The absence of pathognomonic symptoms of TB and the modification of its clinical pattern often lead to mistaken or late diagnosis, with late treatment, which increases the contagious risk. We report a case of LTB in an HIV- negative female patient, 55 years old, with ulcerative laryngeal injuries and active pulmonary tuberculosis, in the absence of other non-tuberculous conditions.