Tenosynovitis by Mycobacterium bovis

Tenosynovitis is an inflammation or infection of a tendon and its synovial sheath. One cause of this illness may be bacterial, being common organisms more frequent, but mycobacteria should be also investigated. In Argentina, tuberculosis is a public health problem. Mycobacterium bovis causes zoono-ses that affect animals and humans. Infection in man occurs by inhalation of aerosols from sick cattle, by digestive or cutaneous routes. Extrapulmonary manifestations can be digestive, nodal, cutaneous or osteoarticular. Tuber-culous wrist tenosynovitis is uncommon, usually diagnosed as rheumatic or nonspecific tenosynovitis. The case of a 48-year-old woman, a resident of rural areas, presenting hypertrophy, and edema in the fingers of the left hand was introduced. Carpal tunnel surgery was performed, while rice grain bodies were noticed. Synovial tissue material was taken for mycobacterial culture, where M. bovis was isolated. She began tuberculostatic treatment plus clari-thromycin. She evolved favourably.