Congenital tuberculosis with tuberculous meningitis and situs inversus totalis: A case report

BACKGROUND: Congenital tuberculosis (TB), tuberculous meningitis, and situs inversus totalis are rare diseases. We here report a patient who simultaneously suffered from these three rare diseases. There is currently no such report in the literature. Congenital TB is easily misdiagnosed and has a high case fatality rate. Timely anti-TB treatment is required. CASE SUMMARY: A 19-day-old male newborn was admitted to hospital due to a fever for 6 h. His blood tests and chest X-rays suggested infection, and he was initially considered to have neonatal pneumonia and sepsis. He did not respond to conventional anti-infective treatment. Finally, Mycobacterium tuberculosis was found in sputum lavage fluid on the 10(th) day after admission. In addition, the mother's tuberculin skin test was positive, with an induration of 22 mm, and her pelvic computed tomography scan suggested the possibility of tuberculous pelvic inflammatory disease. The child was diagnosed with congenital TB and immediately managed with anti-TB therapy and symptomatic supportive treatment. However, the infant's condition gradually worsened and he developed severe tuberculous pneumonia and tuberculous meningitis, and eventually died of respiratory failure. CONCLUSION: If conventional anti-infective treatment is ineffective in neonatal pneumonia, anti-TB treatment should be considered.