Intestinal tuberculosis in immunocompetent/HIV negative patients: case report of two patients

In the past, extrapulmonary tuberculosis affected approximately 70% of patients with advanced pulmonary tuberculosis. However, with the advent of highly effective therapy, intestinal tuberculosis has become rare ― even more unusual in patients without immunodeficiency, HIV and pulmonary disease. The purpose of this study was to report the case of two patients diagnosed with intestinal tuberculosis and no immunodeficiency, HIV or lung disease. The first patient was diagnosed by colonoscopy performed in a mass located in the ileocecal region. After the tuberculosis treatment, the patient presented improvement regarding the mass and symptoms. The diagnosis of the second patient was achieved only with surgical resection of the lesion in proximal transverse colon. It is important for health professionals to know that intestinal tuberculosis should be considered as differential diagnosis of intestinal diseases, also for immunocompetent patients, even regarded as a rare disease.