[Non-healing foot wound]

A young man from Sri Lanka developed a suppurative chronic wound on the right foot after a minor trauma. In spite of several surgical interventions a closure of the ulcer did not occur. Only six months later after serious miliary tuberculosis had developed the correct diagnosis was established and tuberculostatic therapy initiated. This manifestation of tuberculosis--rare in recent times--is reviewed. Emphasis is placed on the causal relation between trauma and reactivation of tuberculosis as well as the pathogenesis of secondary miliary tuberculosis.