Pulmonary tuberculosis with neuromyelitis optica: an uncommon association of a common disease

• Published in: Journal of the College of Physicians and Surgeons--Pakistan Vol. 22; no. 8; pp. 527 - 528
• Main Authors: Siddiqi, Shaista A, Hashmi, Mubashira, Azmat, Zeeshan, Mustafa, Shahid, Siddiqui, Khurram A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Pakistan College of Physicians and Surgeons Pakistan 01.08.2012
• Subjects: Adult; Anti-Inflammatory Agents - therapeutic use; Antitubercular Agents - therapeutic use; Diabetes; Humans; Hypothyroidism; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Male; Methylprednisolone - therapeutic use; Mycobacterium tuberculosis - isolation & purification; Neuromyelitis optica; Neuromyelitis Optica - complications; Neuromyelitis Optica - diagnosis; Neuromyelitis Optica - drug therapy; Pulmonary tuberculosis; Sputum - microbiology; Treatment Outcome; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary - complications; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary - diagnosis; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary - drug therapy
• ISSN: 1022-386X; 1681-7168

Systemic tuberculosis has been reported with varying neurological manifestations like meningitis, tuberculomas, myositis and neuropathy. Neuromyelitis optica (NMO) is a well known neurological entity which has been described in association with several systemic disorders like systemic lupus erythematosis, diabetes mellitus, hypothyroidism, exposure to insecticides etc. However, only a few cases of NMO have been reported in association with Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Here, we report a case of pulmonary tuberculosis in association with NMO to highlight the under-reported association of NMO with pulmonary tuberculosis presenting in a peculiar anatomical fashion i.e. longitudinal myelitis with predominant posterior column involvement.