Maria POPESCU1, Crista Loredana TIUCĂ1,2, Camelia Cristina DIACONU1,2,3
Abstract. Infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis continues to have a high prevalence worldwide, particularly among immunocompromised individuals, and can pose numerous diagnostic challenges. We report the case of a 49-year-old male with uncertain tuberculosis history, admitted for pain in the right iliac fossa and confusion. Also, the patient presented over the last year loss of appetite, significant weight loss and evening-onset fever. Despite pulmonary imaging findings suggestive of tuberculosis, the acid-fast bacilli smear taken from tracheal secretions obtained via bronchoscopy was negative. The neurological course was unpredictable; consequently, the patient developed gait disturbance, meningitis and subsequently, a stroke, accompanied by acute respiratory failure requiring orotracheal intubation, with a positive nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT) result. Thus, the final diagnosis was established as multisystemic tuberculosis with pulmonary and neurological involvement.
Keywords: tuberculosis, acute respiratory failure, bronchoscopy.
DOI 10.56082/annalsarscimed.2026.1.27
1 Department of Internal Medicine, Clinical Emergency Hospital of Bucharest, Romania; e-mail: maria.popescu0925@rez.umfcd.ro
2 University of Medicine and Pharmacy Carol Davila, Bucharest, Romania
3 Academy of Romanian Scientists, Bucharest, Romania
PUBLISHED in Annals of the Academy of Romanian Scientists Series of Medicine, Volume 7, Issue 1