PRIMARY LINGUAL TUBERCULOSIS CAUSED BY M-BOVIS INFECTION

Although tuberculosis of tongue has been previously reported, its infr equent clinical presentation and increased chance of being overlooked during routine examination of the oral cavity, make it worthy of docum entation. Lingual tuberculosis is usually associated with tuberculosis of the oropharynx, lungs, lymph nodes, and miliary tuberculosis. Prim ary tuberculosis of the tongue is extremely rare and is seldom reporte d. Early diagnosis of tuberculosis elsewhere in body and its effective treatment by antituberculous drugs may be the reason for its uncommon presentation. The relationship between consumption of raw or unboiled milk and tuberculosis of the tongue is ill-understood and has evident ly not been reported. We take this opportunity to present the first ca se of primary lingual tuberculosis caused by Mycobacterium bovis relat ed to consumption of unboiled cow milk.