Diagnostic confusion between Crohn's disease and intestinal tuberculosis.

Here is a list of references to papers that discuss confusion between the two diseases. This confusion has lasted for as long as tuberculosis has been recognised as an infectious disease.

• June 1996. This paper describes the use of corticosteroids, a drug commonly administered for Crohn's disease, for treatment of a patient who had tuberculosis, but was misdignosed as having Crohn's disease. The patient improved in the short term, but suffered disease progression after a couple of months. The paper recommends caution in the use of corticosteroids where tuberculosis could possibly be involved. Presumably, this caution applies to all mycobacterial infections. "Case report: gastrointestinal tuberculosis simulating Crohn's disease."
• February 1996. This paper discusses the difficulties facing clinicians in telling the difference between tuberculosis and Crohn's disease, and discusses the commonality of treatments between the two diseases. "Does Crohn's disease need differentiation from tuberculosis?"
• September 1995. This paper describes the misdiagnosis of man with tuberculosis. He is diagnosed as having Crohn's disease, and treated with corticosteroids. A couple of months later, the tuberculosis has progressed, and he only improves after treatment with anti-tuberculosis antibiotics. "[Synchronous intestinal, tonsillar and pulmonary tuberculosis]."
• November 1992. "[Intestinal tuberculosis presenting as Crohn's disease]".
• July 1992. This reference describes five cases of Crohn's disease that turn out to be other diseases, including tuberculosis. "Diseases of the intestine mimicking Crohn's disease."
• January 1984. "Intestinal tuberculosis, Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis in an urban black population."
• 1984. "Tuberculosis of the large bowel. Report of two cases."
• October 1981. "Segmental tuberculosis of the colon diagnosed by colonoscopy."
• January 1980. "Segmental tuberculosis of the colon mimicking carcinoma."
• May 1978. "[Intestinal tuberculosis and differential diagnosis against Crohn's disease in children (author's transl)]."
• November 1977. "Intestinal tuberculosis: experience at a Canadian teaching institution."
• November 1975. "Problems in distinguishing tuberculosis of bowel from Crohn's disease in Asians."

Source: http://archive.crohn.ie/confus.htm
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