Case Report: Parotid Tuberculosis: About a Case Report Mimicking a Tumoral Origin in a Child

<ns3:p>Tuberculosis of the parotid is an uncommon presentation, as the gland is rarely a primary site of infection. It is often confused with malignant tumors because of the similarity of the clinical presentation (the presence of a progressive and abscessed parotid swelling) We present the case of a 4-year-old girl who presented with chronic indurated right parotid gland swelling evolving from one month with fever. Clinical examination objectified a painful, indurated right parotid mass measuring 7 cm with ipsilateral grade 2 right peripheral facial palsy. Imaging showed a solid-cystic parotid mass with lysis of the mandibular condyle. Malignancy was suspected. However, biopsy confirmed tuberculosis. Pulmonary tuberculosis was ruled out. The patient responded well to anti-tuberculosis therapy, showing significant improvement after six months. Parotid gland tuberculosis is very rare and can mimic malignant tumors. It is crucial to rule out this diagnosis, especially in countries where tuberculosis is common, during the diagnosis process.</ns3:p>