Abstract
Immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) is one of the most common causes of acquired hemorrhagic
disorders in children. It is known to occur secondary to various infectious and noninfectious
diseases. The most common infections associated with secondary ITP in children are
Helicobacter pylori, hepatitis C, HIV, varicella, and cytomegalovirus. Thrombocytopenia in tuberculosis
is usually part of a pancytopenia secondary to bone marrow suppression. Immune-mediated
isolated thrombocytopenia in tuberculosis is rare, and even fewer cases associated
with pulmonary tuberculosis have been reported. We report a case of isolated thrombocytopenia
as the initial presenting feature of pulmonary tuberculosis, along with a detailed
review of ITP, including its pathophysiology, newer diagnostic tools, and emerging
association with tuberculosis.
Keywords
immune thrombocytopenia - tuberculosis - children