title: Tuberculous dactylitis in the setting of low serum vitamin D: a case report.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery, St James Hospital, Dublin 8, Ireland. cahillkev@hotmail.com
authors.forename: K C
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Cahill
authors.forename: F J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Conroy
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.forename: R L E
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Dunlop
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Eadie
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Keane
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010019:Osteomyelitis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology*; D011859:Radiography; D014394:Tuberculosis, Osteoarticular / Q000097:blood* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000276:immunology; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D014807:Vitamin D