Introduction:
Mendelian susceptibility to mycobacterial disease (MSMD) is a rare inherited condition characterized by selective susceptibility to weakly virulent mycobacteria, such as substrains of the bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine and different environmental mycobacteria.
Case presentation:
A 7-year-old Sudanese boy was referred to the immunology clinic with a suspected diagnosis of MSMD. This followed multiple presentations with disseminated tuberculosis and typhoid fever. Genetic testing surprisingly revealed pathogenic homozygous variants in IL12RB1 Exon 9, c.913A>T (p. Lys305*) in both the patient and his father, with a completely healthy asymptomatic carrier mother who is not blood related to the patient's father.
Conclusion:
It is challenging to diagnose MSMD, especially in developing countries where health systems are poor and have limited resources. Family history and genetic tests may help in early MSMD treatment and avoiding disease complications.