Challenges encountered in the diagnosis of tuberculous otitis media: case report and literature review.

OBJECTIVE

To report a rare case of tuberculous otitis media, and to highlight barriers to clinical and microbiological diagnosis.

METHOD

Case report and literature review.

RESULTS

Tuberculous otitis media is a rare cause of chronic ear infection in the UK. Its symptoms may mimic a range of other otological conditions, including otitis media, chronic suppurative otitis media, cholesteatoma and necrotising otitis media.

CONCLUSION

This case report highlights the challenges of obtaining a clinical diagnosis of tuberculous otitis media, and emphasises the fact that screening for acid-fast bacilli is not sufficient, in isolation, to rule out mycobacterial infection.