Among 130 autopsied cases with hematological disease, active tuberculosis was demonstrated in eight cases. (6.2 per cent) Seven cases had generalized miliary tuberculosis. The underlying diseases were acute myelocytic leukemia (AML), malignant lymphoma, aplastic anemia, myelofibrosis and May-Hegglin anomaly. In 2 cases with AML no leukemic cell infiltration was found on autopsy and hematological abnormality might be due to leukemoid reaction to tuberculosis.
Because tuberculosis could cause various hematological changes, it is difficult to diagnose tuberculosis in hematological diseases. No case was diagnosed as tuberculosis from chest X-ray film, Mantoux test or the culture of various specimens. It is important to find tuberculous bacilli or granuloma by bone marrow aspiration and/or biopsy.
Five cases received prednisolone totalling from 350 to 3,000 mg. On corticosteroid administration, it must be considered the possibility that it might cause the dissemination of tuberculosis.
