Talus osteomyelitis - tubercular or not?

Abstract

Tuberculosis is a communicable infective disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB). The most commonly involved organ is the lung (Pulmonary tuberculosis), however, MTB can affect any organ other than lungs; in this cases, it is known as Extrapulmonary Tuberculosis (EPTB), which can lead to significant morbidity and mortality. Patients with EPTB can rarely develop ankle or foot arthritis, which usually is either misdiagnosed or diagnosed very late, leading to complications. Early diagnosis and timely treatment are very important to prevent permanent functional disability, thus a high suspicion, even in the absence of specific symptoms, is a must. We report a rare case of osteoarthritis of talus which was tubercular, and in which the patient responded well to treatment.