Diarrhea as a manifestation of abdominal tuberculosis

The study was undertaken to define major differential diagnostic criteria for abdominal tuberculosis accompanied by diarrhea. One hundred and fort-two patients with abdominal tuberculosis, including 61 patients diagnosed as having gastrointestinal tuberculosis involving the intestinal tract, were examined. Eighty-one (57%) patients with abdominal tuberculosis had diarrhea, the latter was acute in 22 (27.2) cases of them and it was characterized as chronic organic in 59 (72.8%). Enteric infections and intestinal diseases of other etiology, including ulcerative and Crohn's disease, were excluded in one (30.3%) and two thirds. Histological signs are decisive in the diagnosis of the disease. The exudation mechanism is responsible in intestinal mucosal lesion and mainly increased peristaltic activity and irritation of intestinal nerve endings are in abdominal tuberculous lymphadenitis.