Traps of tuberculosis among the aged: an astonishing cyst of left foot
Thiévent, B.; Amstutz, R.ël.; Schubarth, P.
Revue Medicale de la Suisse Romande 122(11): 531-533
2002
ISSN/ISBN: 0035-3655 PMID: 12522936 Document Number: 545808
We report the case of a 75 years old man who insidiously developed a unusual presentation of tuberculosis. The story began with a tuberculous arthritis of the foot, later associated with pulmonary, endobronchial, mediastinal and cervical lymphadenitis tuberculosis. Because the microscopic examination was negative for acid-fast bacilli (AFB) in all involved sites, the diagnosis of sarcoidosis was suggested. We discuss the diagnosis difficulties of tuberculosis in the elderly, the extrapulmonary manifestations of tuberculosis and some aspects of its differential diagnosis with sarcoidosis.