Orbital tuberculosis

Abstract

Tuberculosis is a multisystem infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis and a leading infectious cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Orbital tuberculosis is an uncommon form of extrapulmonary tuberculosis, even in endemic areas. It may involve the soft tissue, lacrimal gland, periosteum, or bones of the orbital wall and can extend to adjacent paranasal sinuses or intracranial cavities. The delay in diagnosis can be due to the fact that the clinical signs simulate any inflammatory disease. The diagnosis is usually based on tissue examination in histopathological evidence, presenting as a granulomatous lesion or the presence of acid-fast bacilli (AFB). Long-term anti-tuberculosis therapy is an effective treatment. Here, we present the case of orbital tuberculosis in a 7-year-old female child who had presented with swelling over the left upper eyelid.