Primary Tuberculosis of the submandibular gland: a case report

AbstractChronic sialadenitis is a disease of salivary glands associated with chronic infections,systemic diseases and silolithiasis pathogenesis of the disease. Primary tuberculoussubmandibulitis is not a reported disease. The diagnosis was confirmed whena 45 years old lady suspicious to submandibular gland tumor was operated on for excisionalbiopsy. Histological examination of the specimen by expert pathologistruled out malignancy, granuloma or caseous necrosis. Cultures of discharge and tissuewere negative for mycobacterium tuberculosis. The only positive diagnosticmodality was Polymerase Chain Reaction for mycobacterium tuberculosis. Therefore,the four drug anti-TB regimen was initiated. After that a surgical fistula washealed and the patient left the hospital on her foot and there was no recurrence at leastfor one year. The endemic condition of tuberculosis in some populations has increasedthe rate of extra-pulmonary tuberculosis. One of the extra pulmonary sitesmay be the submandibular gland.It is recommended to consider tuberculosis in the differential diagnosis of submandibulargland masses especially in populations with endemic tuberculosis.