Abstract:
Pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality among all infectious diseases especially in Pakistan where TB is endemic while extra pulmonary TB often encountered. However, primary salivary gland specifically unilateral parotid gland involvement is exceedingly uncommon. We present a case of 38-year old woman with six months duration of right parotid lump. The lump was firm and non-tender with bilateral cervical lymphadenopathy. No other constitutional symptoms of TB in our patient except weight loss. We presumed it a parotid neoplasm but after workup it reveals parotid TB which responds to first line anti-tuberculous therapy (ATT). So, careful exclusion of parotid neoplasm prevented unwanted surgery in our patient and patient recovered without any residual disease. We proposed that the differential diagnosis of a parotid gland swelling should include the infrequent possibility of parotid gland tuberculosis.