Fatal acute miliary tuberculosis complicated by obstructive jaundice, acute pancreatitis, and hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis in a 57-year-old immunocompetent female: a case report

Miliary tuberculosis may present with nonspecific features and symptoms, and a thorough correlation between clinical examination, radiological findings, and laboratory tests is required to establish the diagnosis. The delayed diagnosis and treatment of miliary tuberculosis majorly affect patient outcomes. The progression of the disease is unpredictable, and several complications, although rare, may occur all at once, emphasizing the importance of multidisciplinary collaboration between specialists. Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis symptoms may overlap with miliary tuberculosis symptoms, and antituberculosis therapy medications are irreplaceable in the treatment of tuberculosis-related hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis. Immunocompetence is not a basis for excluding miliary tuberculosis.