Clinically undiagnosed active tuberculosis. Experience from an autopsy material.

The incidence of clinically undiagnosed active tuberculosis (CUDAT) was 0.1% in an autopsy material comprising about 75% of all autopsies carried out in Denmark during the period 1.1.1969-1.1.1974. This incidence, corresponding to one case in every 895 autopsies, is a minimum value. From the present study it is apparent that the miliary form is predominant. CUDAT is most often found in elderly patients from medical units. The most common cause of death is the active tuberculosis, especially the miliary form. Fever often occurs during the stay in the hospital and is an almost invariable sign in miliary tuberculosis. Many of the patients had been treated with corticosteroids and/or cytostatics for associated diseases, especially malignancies.