[Tuberculous peritonitis: extra-community immigrants at risk?].

Two cases of tuberculosis peritonitis are here reported. Two young black males, who had recently immigrated from Senegal to Italy, were admitted to the Hospital because of aspecific, acute abdominal pain and underwent exploratory laparotomy. In both cases a flare-up of quiescent, post-primary chronic intestinal tuberculous infection was found at surgery. Extra-European immigrants often live in poor hygienic conditions in our country and are exposed to infectious ailments, which are unusual for the Italian population. In the differential diagnosis of acute abdominal pain in African immigrants, tuberculosis peritonitis should be always considered.