Primary tuberculosis of the tongue in an immunocompetent patient: A case report

Tuberculosis is a chronic granulomatous disease that can affect various systems of the body. It is caused mainly by Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Mycobacterium bovis and other atypical mycobacterial species[1]. Pulmonary tuberculosis is the most common primary form of the disease. However it can occur in lymph nodes, meninges, kidneys, bones, skin and the oral cavity. Secondary tuberculosis occurs from a healed primary focus or due to endogenous spread of the infection. Both primary and secondary tuberculosis can occur in the oral cavity which accounts for 0.2 to 1.5% of all cases of extrapulmonary tuberculosis. Primary tuberculosis of the oral cavity is exceedingly rare with the tongue being the most commonly affected site. Tuberculosis of the tongue usually presents as a chronic non healing mucosal ulceration but may occur as nodules, fissures, plaques or verrucous proliferation[2,3].