Tuberculosis an Emerging Cause of Immune Thrombocytopenia in Children: Literature Review

Abstract

Immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) is one of the most common causes of acquired hemorrhagic disorders in children. It is known to occur secondary to various infectious and noninfectious diseases. The most common infections associated with secondary ITP in children are Helicobacter pylori, hepatitis C, HIV, varicella, and cytomegalovirus. Thrombocytopenia in tuberculosis is usually part of a pancytopenia secondary to bone marrow suppression. Immune-mediated isolated thrombocytopenia in tuberculosis is rare, and even fewer cases associated with pulmonary tuberculosis have been reported. We report a case of isolated thrombocytopenia as the initial presenting feature of pulmonary tuberculosis, along with a detailed review of ITP, including its pathophysiology, newer diagnostic tools, and emerging association with tuberculosis.

Keywords

immune thrombocytopenia - tuberculosis - children

• References

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