Primary nasal Tuberculosis - A case report

During the past two decades, Tuberculosis - both pulmonary and extrapulmonary have re-emerged as a major health problem worldwide. Nasal tuberculosis may be primary, or secondary to pulmonary tuberculosis or facial lupus. However all of them are rare entities. Nasal tuberculosis should be considered in the differential diagnosis of chronic nasal granulomas. We report a case of primary nasal tuberculosis in an adult female who presented with a polypoidal lesion in the nasal cavity. The diagnosis was based upon smear study, histopathology, culture & polymerase chain reaction. The patient successfully responded to antituberculous therapy and is presently disease free. Given the resurgence of tuberculosis in recent times, it is important that otolaryngologists remain aware of this rare clinical entity.