Paradoxical reaction to antitubercular therapy in miliary tuberculosis.

An 18-year-old boy presented with fever, weight loss and loss of appetite for 6 months duration. Investigation revealed raised erythrocyte sedimentation rate, negative sputum smear examination for acid-fast bacilli, x-ray and high-resolution CT chest showed bilateral, diffuse infiltration of lung parenchyma with miliary shadows. The patient was treated as a case of miliary tuberculosis with antitubercular therapy (ATT). On the 10th day of treatment the patient developed high-grade fever, cough and breathlessness. Chest x-ray showed an increased infiltration of lung parenchyma. The patient was diagnosed as a case of paradoxical reaction to ATT and was managed successfully with steroids.