Isolated tuberculous monoarthritis, an important differential diagnosis in juvenile oligoarthritis

Isolated mono- or oligoarthritis caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis in the absence of clinical pulmonary disease is extremely rare in western European countries. The overall incidence of tuberculosis in developed countries has constantly declined over the past decades but there is some resurgence with migration and the use of immunosuppressive therapy. We describe a case of monoarthritis of the hip in an adolescent with almost complete immobility of the joint. There was no family or environmental history of pulmonary tuberculosis. Skin test with purified protein derivative showed an induration of 2.5cm. Labora…