Tuberculous Peritonitis in a Patient Undergoing Continuous Ambulatory Peritoneal Dialysis

Complication of peritonitis developed in a 61 year old patient who was undergoing continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) and whose dialysate culture was negative for both aerobic and anaerobic bacteria and fungi. Despite the administration of various antibiotics and repeated mechanical lavages, inflammatory response and fever could not be controlled and therefore on the 8th hospital day the catheter was removed and hemodialysis was commenced. On about the 40th day thereafter, culture test of CAPD dialysate demonstrated mycobacterium tuberculosis and thus anti-tuberculous therapy was commenced, which led to a favorable course.

It is considered that tuberculosis should be suspected in CAPD patients complicated with peritonitis whose dialysate culture is negative for both aerobic and anaerobic bacteria and fungi.