Tuberculose primária do esófago

the authors present a case of 38 year old woman with symptoms of odynophagia, retrosternal pain and weight loss. diagnostic workup revealed the presence of an esophageal ulcer as the first manifestation of primary esophageal tuberculosis. esophageal tuberculosis is a rare disease, estimated to account for 0,15% of deaths from tuberculosis. moreover, primary esophageal tuberculosis without active extraesophageal tuberculosis, just like our case, is even more uncommon. most cases of primary tuberculosis of the esophagus can be treated successfully with antituberculous chemotherapy and delay in diagnosis and in the start of treatment may cause a poor prognosis.