Primary extrapulmonary tuberculosis diagnosis warrants extra-precautious pulmonary tuberculosis exclusion workup

Core Tip

Core Tip: The diagnosis of primary gastrointestinal tuberculosis due to Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection requires an overarchingly holistic stepwise case evaluation approach to exclude primary pulmonary tuberculosis rather than exclusively depending on high-end radiation-intensive expensive methods. Moreover, tuberculosis-relevant history-obtainment may not be limited to the disease-specific constitutional symptoms and signs. Instead, it may consider relevant factors like countries where the patient had been, tuberculosis contacts, nutrition, smoking and drinking habits, and weight loss. Additional primary pulmonary tuberculosis workup considerations can include important caveats in its diagnostic interpretations, like latent tuberculosis, atypical tuberculosis, and immunocompromised status.