Rheumatic manifestations of tropical diseases.

It is becoming increasingly recognized that a variety of tropical infectious diseases may be associated with a wide range of rheumatic infections. These include viral arthropathies such as O'nyong-nyong, chikungunya, and dengue. Parasitic infections such as filariasis, schistosomiasis, and amoebiasis can be associated with various joint problems. Diseases such as tuberculosis, rheumatic fever, leprosy, and brucellosis, although more common in the tropics, continue to present with rheumatic features in Western countries. Thus, with increasing world travel and migration, there is a need for increasing awareness and further study of tropical diseases and their rheumatic manifestations.