Tuberculosis of the Penis: A Review of the Literature

Table 1

List and summary of the clinical findings of some of the reported cases of tuberculosis of penis.

Reference, year	Age; Presentation	Diagnostic and Histological findings Findings	Treatment	Outcome
Pal et al. [5]; 1996	Case : 24 years; tender/firm, cauliflower growth with nodular surface on glans penis.	Histology of biopsy specimen showed features of tuberculous balanitis.	Anti-Tb treatment with rifampicin, pyrazinamide, ethambutol, and isoniazid + circumcision 9 months later.	Complete healing and no recurrence.
	Case : 39 years; ulcer on dorsum of glans penis with foul smelling necrotic area on glans and serosanguinous discharge.	Histology of biopsy specimen showed tuberculous granuloma with intense fibrosis and endarteritis.	Anti-Tb treatment with rifampicin, pyrazinamide, ethambutol, and isoniazid.	Ulcer healed after 3 months but patient was lost to follow-up at 7 months.
J. K. Kar and M. Kar [6]; 2012.	31 years; ulcer on glans penis.	Positive Mantoux test; positive Tb-PCR.; Biopsy of ulcerated lesion histology showed Tb of penis.	Anti-Tb treatment.	Responded well and ulcer healed.
Baveja et al. [7]; 2007	62 years; multiple ulcers on glans penis; he had previously worked in Tb laboratory; Multiple superficial ulcers on glans penis with undermined edges.	Direct smear microscopy of pus showed heavy growth of acid fast bacillus (3+); ELISA serology for mycobacterium A60-antigen was strongly positive.	1st line anti-Tb treatment but patient’s lesion did not improve therefore he received second-line anti-Tb treatment.	Ulcer healed after 3 months of being on 2nd-line anti-Tb treatment after failure of 1st-line treatment.
Angus et al. [8]; 2001	Case (husband of Case ) 50 years; painless ulcer on penis.	Excision biopsy of penile ulcer showed on histological examination caseating granuloma and tissue culture of the biopsy yielded Mycobacterium tuberculosis.	He was treated with isoniazid, rifampicin, streptomycin, and ethambutol anti-Tb therapy for 6 months.	Would healed well with no recurrence.
	Case (wife of Case ) 49 years; menorrhagia; ulcerations on cervix.	Endometrial biopsy on microscopic examination revealed caseating granuloma.	Anti-Tb treatment with isoniazid, pyrazinamide, streptomycin, and ethambutol.	Cured and she became asymptomatic.
KishanChand et al. [9]; 2009	59 years; ulcer on glans penis with everted edges distorting the external urethral meatus; tender bilateral inguinal lymph node enlargement.	Biopsy specimen of ulcer on microscopic examination showed chronic granuloma; Mantoux test was strongly positive; immunohistochemical staining demonstrated antibody complexes of tuberculous bacilli; PCR confirmed Tb.	He was treated with rifampicin, isoniazid, pyrazinamide, and ethambutol.	Ulcer healed.
Ghorbani et al. [10]; 2007.	43 years; kidney transplant recipient; painful ulcer on glans penis.	Biopsy of the ulcer and PCR revealed Mycobacterium tuberculosis.	Anti-Tb treatment.	Ulcer healed.