Two Young Female Patients with Anorexia Nervosa Complicated by Mycobacterium Tuberculosis Infection

Mari HOTTA; Eri NAGASHIMA; Sachiko TAKAGI; Ichiro ITODA; Takanori NUMATA; Nobuyuki KOBAYASHI; Kazue TAKANO

doi:10.2169/internalmedicine.43.440

Infectious Diseases

Two Young Female Patients with Anorexia Nervosa Complicated by Mycobacterium Tuberculosis Infection

Mari HOTTA, Eri NAGASHIMA, Sachiko TAKAGI, Ichiro ITODA, Takanori NUMATA, Nobuyuki KOBAYASHI, Kazue TAKANO

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Keywords: anorexia nervosa, tuberculosis, immune system

JOURNAL OPEN ACCESS

2004 Volume 43 Issue 5 Pages 440-444

DOI https://doi.org/10.2169/internalmedicine.43.440

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Abstract

Patients with anorexia nervosa (AN) seldom present with infectious illness, despite malnutrition-induced immunodeficiency. We described two young women who had a long-standing history of severe emaciation and pulmonary or lymph node tuberculosis discovered during the treatment of AN. Both patients reported a positive history of BCG vaccination. Contact tracing failed to reveal sources of infection, although the tuberculosis was considered transferred. Since the decline of notification rates for tuberculosis have been stagnant and outbreaks in schools or hospitals have been increasing in Japan, special attention must be given to the possibility of opportunistic infections in AN patients.

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