Tuberculous peritonitis in childhood

Abstract

Tuberculous peritonitis is an uncommon presentation of tuberculosis especially in children. The diagnosis of tuberculous peritonitis is difficult because of the variability of presentation, the protean nature of the manifestation and the limitation of diagnostic tests. Therefore, the diagnosis is often delayed and the rate of complications and mortality increases. High level of suspicion is required for early diagnosis especially in a high-risk population. In this article, we reviewed the symptoms, diagnostic tests, differential diagnosis and treatment of infection based on a systematic review of the literature.