A Case of Tuberculosis of the Parotid Gland

Abstract

A 46-year-old woman wasfound to have tuberculosis of the parotid gland with tuberculous cervical lymphadenitis. The most provable route of infection was lymphogenous from the oral cavity.
A review of the literature indicates that the parotid gland is more frequently involved by tuberculosis than any of the other salivary glands, and that tuberculosis of the sublingual gland is rare. Two distinct types are found:a subacute type, which often runs its course with pain and/or fistula formation etc., and a chronic type which sometimes produces no symptoms.
We must consider tuberculosis in cases of parotid gland tumor with acceluated E. S. R. value, positive tuberculin reaction or a family and/or past history of tuberculosis.