A case report of tuberculous mastitis

Tuberculosis is an infectious disease caused by acid fast bacilli Mycobacterium Tuberculosis1. It primarily affects the lungs and causes pulmonary tuberculosis, but can affect any organ of the body and is then called secondary tuberculosis. Tuberculosis is the most widespread and persistent human infection in the world. The infection can involve any organ and mimic other illnesses, hence called ‘the great mimicker’. The incidence of tubercular mastitis although decreasing in the West, could show resurgence with the global pandemic of AIDS. Tuberculous mastitis is a rare clinical entity and usually affects women from the Indian sub-continent and Africa. It often mimics breast carcinoma and pyogenic breast abscess clinically and radiologically, may both co-exist. Fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) / biopsy are essential for diagnosis and tuberculosis culture when positive may be very useful to guide antimicrobial therapy. Antitubercular drugs in combination with aspiration or surgical drainage are usually associated with an excellent outcome.