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Disseminated Tuberculosis Presenting as Baker's Cyst Infection
Najwa Pervin1, Sami Akram2, Tamer Hudali1
1Department of Internal Medicine, Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, Springfield, IL, USA.
Case Reports in Infectious Diseases
|February 7, 2017
Summary
Reactivated mycobacterial tuberculosis (MTB) is rarely suspected for leg pain in immunocompetent individuals. This case highlights disseminated tuberculosis presenting unusually as an infected Baker
Area of Science:
- Infectious Diseases
- Rheumatology
- Orthopedics
Background:
- Mycobacterial tuberculosis (MTB) reactivation is typically considered in immunocompromised patients or those with specific symptoms.
- Leg pain is a common symptom with a broad differential diagnosis, often excluding chronic infections.
Observation:
- A 73-year-old immunocompetent male presented with leg pain.
- The patient lacked typical symptoms or a history of immunocompromise.
- Physical examination revealed signs suggestive of an infected Baker's cyst.
Findings:
- Diagnostic workup confirmed disseminated tuberculosis.
- The infected Baker's cyst was the primary manifestation of the disseminated disease.
- Tuberculosis was successfully treated, resolving the leg pain.
Implications:
- This case underscores the importance of considering disseminated tuberculosis in the differential diagnosis of leg pain, even in immunocompetent individuals.
- Infected Baker's cysts can be an atypical presentation of disseminated MTB.
- Early diagnosis and treatment are crucial for favorable outcomes in such cases.
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