ORBITAL TUBERCULOSIS IN A 42-YEAR-OLD MALE PATIENT: CASE REPORT AND UPDATED LITERATURE REVIEW
Keywords:
ocular tuberculosis; orbital tuberculosis; proptosis; extrapulmonary tuberculosis; Ziehl-NeelsenAbstract
DOI: https://doi.org/10.46296/yc.v10i18.0824
Abstract
Introduction: Tuberculosis (TB) remains a major global health problem, and extrapulmonary disease accounts for a relevant proportion of cases (1). Ocular TB encompasses a wide clinical spectrum; orbital involvement is uncommon and may mimic neoplastic or idiopathic inflammatory disorders, leading to diagnostic delays (2,3). Case presentation: We report a 42-year-old man with a three-month history of persistent purulent discharge from the right eye, associated with pruritus and painful limitation of ocular movements. Examination showed ocular displacement, lower lid retraction, conjunctival inflammation, and profuse purulent secretion. Ziehl-Neelsen staining from ocular samples revealed acid-fast bacilli compatible with Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Discussion: Orbital TB requires a high index of suspicion. Contemporary guidance supports a combined approach using clinical phenotype, imaging, immunologic tests, and microbiologic/histopathologic confirmation whenever feasible (3,4,6-8). Standard multi-drug anti-tuberculous therapy is the cornerstone of management, with systematic monitoring for ocular drug toxicity (9-11). Conclusion: Orbital tuberculosis can present with severe inflammatory signs and purulent discharge. Microbiologic confirmation enables timely treatment and may prevent visual sequelae.
Keywords: ocular tuberculosis; orbital tuberculosis; proptosis; extrapulmonary tuberculosis; Ziehl-Neelsen.
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