Unusual Cause of Persistent Anemia and Failure to Thrive in an Infant – A Clinical Case Letter

Ashwini VK, Akshay H, Ramkumar R and Janani S

Department of Pediatrics, Kanchi Kamakoti CHILDS Trust Hospital, Chennai, India Department of Pediatric Dermatology, Kanchi Kamakoti CHILDS Trust Hospital, Chennai, India

^*Correspondance to: Ashwini VK 

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Abstract:

Tuberculosis is considered the national disease of India. However less is known about tuberculid, the cutaneous manifestation of tuberculosis. It is uncommon and easily misdiagnosed. Lichen scrofulosorum is a tuberculid, presenting with papules that are non-tender and are misdiagnosed as keratosis pilaris or any other follicular lesion. A ten-month-old infant was presented with signs and symptoms consistent with community acquired pneumonia. She was treated for the same but was found to be failing to thrive and anemic at follow up one month later. Papular lesions on scalp and USG abdomen at follow up prompted further work up, in line of histiocytic disorder. FDG-PET CT was suggestive of tuberculosis. Antitubercular Therapy (ATT) was initiated and she showed excellent response to treatment. Child was kept under close follow up, she is seen to have good weight gain, and scalp lesions have resolved. Presence of diffuse acneiform lesions in a background of anemia and Failure to Thrive (FTT) should prompt the clinician to think beyond histiocytic lesions and rule out tuberculosis which is still very much prevalent in India.

Keywords:

Tuberculid; Anemia; Failure to thrive; Acneiform lesions

Cite the Article:

Ashwini VK, Akshay H, Ramkumar R, Janani S. Unusual Cause of Persistent Anemia and Failure to Thrive in an Infant – A Clinical Case Letter. Ann Clin Case Rep. 2024; 9: 2672. ISSN: 2474-1655..