Abstract:

Gastrointestinal tuberculosis is a main extrapulmonary tuberculosis that can affect the esophagus, stomach, duodenum, small intestine, colon, rectum and anus. The symptoms of gastrointestinal tuberculosis are non-specific and difficult to differentiate from other gastrointestinal diseases (such as inflammatory bowel disease, tumors, etc.). Although a series of emerging molecular and immunodiagnostic methods such as nucleic acid amplification test have developed rapidly, it is difficult to rapidly and accurately diagnosis gastrointestinal tuberculosis by a single laboratory examination method and the final diagnosis should be made based on combination of clinical manifestations, imaging,histopathology,and multiplenucleic acid amplification test.Early diagnosis and initiation of anti-tuberculosis therapy as well as prompt surgical treatment are essential to reduce the mortality. The authors review the etiology,clinical features,laboratory test and treatment strategies of gastrointestinal tuberculosis, in order to improve the early diagnosis and treatment of this disease.

Key words: Tuberculosis, Abdomen, Gastrointestinal tract