A case report reveals diagnostic challenges of disseminated TB in an immunocompetent individual, highlighting clinical implications.
Disseminated tuberculosis (DTB) is a rare but life-threatening manifestation of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) infection characterized by hematogenous spread to two or more noncontiguous sites and often presents with nonspecific symptoms, contributing to delayed recognition and treatment. We report a 24-year-old immunocompetent with a six-month history of recurrent, spontaneously resolving cutaneous abscesses and significant unintentional weight loss ultimately diagnosed with DTB. This case highlights the diagnostic complexity of disseminated TB in immunocompetent individuals, particularly when cutaneous manifestations predominate, and pulmonary involvement is subtle.
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Spina et al. (2026) studied this question.
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