Tuberculosis of bilateral ankles: Misdiagnosed as rheumatoid arthritis

The osteoarticular tuberculosis is a uncommon diease, which is accout for 0.1%-0.3% of Tuberculosis (TB). The involoment of foot and ankle is only 0.01%-0.03% of TB, particularly the bilateral feet and ankles are affected is extremely rare. Futhermore, its clinical manifestation is atypical and similar with autoimmune disorder, subacute or chronic pyogenic arthritis, osteochondrosis, benign bone tumors and so on, which conduce to the delay of its diagnose and therapy along with unfavourable prognosis. Here we present a case of a 52-year-old man with bilateral feet and ankles tuberculous arthritis, misdiagnosed successively Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) and Poncet's diease. It is hope that can enhance the alertness about osteoarticular tuberculosis.