Eosinophilic cystitis and cholangitis - systemic disease triggered by mycobacterium tuberculosis?

ABSTRACT

Eosinophilic cystitis (EC) is a rare inflammatory disorder of the urinary tract characterized by infiltration of bladder with eosinophils. The cause remains unclear, immunological mechanisms have been implicated in pathogenesis. Potential etiological factors include tumors, allergy, parasitic infections, trauma. The disease may have a variable course, from a mild self-limiting, through common symptoms like dysuria, hematuria, abdominal pain, tumor, to severe renal failure, with eosinophilic infiltration of the other organs and systemic complications. Treatment depending on disease severity and etiology is pharmacological and/or surgical. Here we report a case of a previously healthy 16-year old girl with inflammatory tumor in the liver hilum infiltrating extrahepatic biliary tract who developed three months later haematuria with acute dysuric signs and renal failure. Based on histopathological findings diagnosis of eosinophilic cystitis was established. Tests for Mycobacterium tuberculosis were positive. To our knowledge, EC association with cholangitis and tuberculosis have never been reported before.