MALIGNANT PERITONEAL MESOTHELIOMA - AN IN FREQUENT CAUSE OF PROLONGEDFEVER AND LEUKOCYTOSIS IN A YOUNG-ADULT

Peritoneal mesothelioma is a rare neoplasia usually associated with ex posure to asbestos. The incidence in the population not in contact wit h asbestos is of one per million per year. The disease is most common in males over the age of 40, with signs and symptoms of neoplasic dise ase together with abdominal pain and ascitis with or without a palpabl e abdominal mass. We report the case of a young male without a history of exposure to asbestos who presented with prolonged fever, leukocyto sis and a septated peritoneal exudate. With a presumptive diagnosis of peritoneal tuberculosis, the patient received empirical antituberculo sis treatment. Because the clinical picture persisted and microbiologi cal studies remained negative, a second exploratory laparotomy was per fomed which demonstrated the presence of a malignant epithelial perito neal mesothelioma.