Monoarticular Poncet Disease after Pulmonary Tuberculosis: A Rare Case Report and Review of Literature

Abstract

Tuberculosis is a major health problem worldwide, more so in Asian countries and especially India. Being a communicable disease, it can affect the lives of many people. Tuberculosis has varied manifestations and can affect almost every part of the human body. Pulmonary tuberculosis is the most common form. Poncet disease (tuberculous rheumatism) is a polyarticular arthritis that occurs during acute tuberculosis infection in which no mycobacterial involvement can be found or no other known cause of polyarthritis is detected. We describe an atypical presentation of active pulmonary tuberculosis with monoarticular Poncet disease of the right knee in a 24-year-old woman. The diagnosis of Poncet disease is mainly clinical with exclusion of other causes. It generally presents as an acute or subacute form; however, chronic forms have been described in the literature.