Tuberculous dactylitis in the setting of low serum vitamin D: A case report

We present the case of a previously well patient who presented to the Emergency Department of a Dublin hospital with a tuberculous infection of his dominant index finger and a very low serum vitamin D level - this has been implicated in both primary and reactivation infections with Mycobacterium Tuberculosis. This case highlights and reviews both the importance of considering non-endemic pathologies in the setting of a patient base of diverse ethnicity, and the emerging importance of vitamin D in the immune response to M. tuberculosis infection. We discuss the relevant literature to highlight the background of this disease process, and the importance of a multidisciplinary approach to these patients. (C) 2011 British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.