[Peritoneal tuberculosis in Madagascar, 55 cases at the Soavinandriana Hospital Center in Antananaviro].

This retrospective study conducted in Antananarivo for a 42 months period, from September 1991 to March 1994, allowed to record 55 peritoneal tuberculosis, all of them in malagasy patients. The sex ratio was 0,83 and the mean age 36 years old. Ascites puncture was done each time there was an effusion (44 cases). For all cases. For all cases, the diagnosis based on laparoscopy allowed an investigation of the liver and the peritoneum, and 10 peritoneum biopsies could be done. The tubercular bacillus has been isolated in 2 ascites fluids out of 8 incubations, and in 5 biopsies of peritoneal granulation out of 8. For 8 cases, another tubercular localization has been discovered: 5 pleurisis, 2 evolutive tuberculosis and 1 pericardial effusion. All the patients have been put under antitubercular treatment and have regained health. Peritoneal tuberculosis has become rare in the West but is still a frequent pathology mostly in young women, in Africa and up in Madagascar.