Journal of Indian Academy of Forensic Medicine

Tuberculosis is one of the major causes of morbidity & mortality in many developing countries. In certain instances, deaths due to tuberculosis are sudden, unexpected and appears to be unnatural. We present a case report of tuberculosis related sudden death of a middle aged apparently healthy man without any significant medical history. The body was brought for medico-legal autopsy, though the police did not find any evidence of unlawful activity. After autopsy, the cause of death was confirmed to be miliary tuberculosis of abdomen with extensive involvement of liver, spleen and kidney. Miliary tubercles were flooded all over the intestine. These types of undiagnosed cases of advanced tuberculosis, where tuberculosis as a cause of sudden death is practically unexpected because of healthy looking body built, always pose serious threat of infection to the mortuary staff. Not only that, the advanced tuberculosis in many cases is being associated with HIV. Henceforth, it is imperative for the every forensic pathologist to be well versed with this dreaded entity.