Abdominal Tuberculosis in Children: Is It Really Uncommon?

Now a day's tuberculosis has become a global emergency especially in children and abdomen is the sixth commonest extra-pulmonary site of involvement. Diagnosis of abdominal tuberculosis (TB) in children is still challenging. Non specific constitutional symptoms and long lasting abdominal manifestations cause unnecessary delay in diagnosis in children. Abdominal TB can be of various types like peritoneal TB, gastrointestinal TB, tubercular lymphadenopathy and visceral TB. Diagnosis can be confirmed by histopathology, culture or PCR and imaging technique also play an important role in diagnosis. Morbidity and mortality can be reduced in significant number by early recognition and effective aggressive treatment. In TB endemic areas, it could be strongly considered in children with vague complaints like chronic abdominal pain, low grade fever and weight loss. Response to anti-tubercular therapy may indirectly help the physicians to come to a diagnosis.