An Appraisal of Epidemiologic, Clinical, Bacteriologic, Histopathologic, and Immunologic Parameters in Cutaneous Tuberculosis

Abstract

Cutaneous tuberculosis incidence was recorded as 0.15%. Of the 42 patients, 23 had scrofuloderma, 17 lupus vulgaris, and 2 tuberculosis verrucosa cutis. Both men and women were affected by the disease in the second and third decades. Its duration was variable. An affirmative family history was elicited in five scrofuloderma patients. The clinical expression largely conformed to the ritual text. Variation in Mantoux test positivity was unremarkable. The disparity in the demonstration of bacilli in the smear and tissue sections was, however, quite apparent in scrofuloderma. The correlation of different parameters indicates a continuous spectrum, formed at one end by lupus vulgaris, and at another by scrofuloderma. A moderate to strongly positive Mantoux text, enormous lymphocytes in the granuloma, absence of tubercle bacilli, negative culture, and an apparently normal immunoprofile were features of lupus vulgaris; whereas scrofuloderma had a moderately positive Mantoux test, lesser number of lymphocytes in the granuloma, large number of bacilli in tissue smear and/or tissue section, raised levels of immunoglobulins, and a grossly lowered C3 levels. The other variants probably occupy a position in between.

Cutaneous Tuberculosis : A Clinico-morphological Study

“…The percentage of patients manifesting cutaneous tuberculosis could be on the lower side due to the large population base as compared to the above studies. Lupus vulgaris [3][4][5] and scrofuloderma [1,7] have been reported as the commoner form of cutaneous tuberculosis world wide. In this study lupus vulgaris was the commonest.…”

“…The invasion of the skin by Mycobacterium tuberculosis has become rare in developed countries but is seen in developing countries. The incidence of cutaneous tuberculosis had fallen from 2% to 0.15% [1]. Extra pulmonary tuberculosis has now shown resurgence because of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection.…”

A Rare Agent in a Case of Tuberculosis Cutis Verrucosa: Mycobacterium caprae

“…Bu hastaların biri periton, biri üriner sistem biride tüberküloz lenfadenit tanısı almıştır (1) . TKV'de bölgesel lenf bezleri, bazı olgularda büyüyebildiği gibi olgumuzda olduğu gibi genellikle büyümez (7) . Bir buçuk yıldır tanı alamayan bu olguda kesin tanı patolojik ve mikobakteriyolojik testler ile konulmuştur.…”

Lupus vulgaris in a pediatric patient: a clinicohistopathological diagnosis

“…But, compared with pulmonary tuberculosis, the number of bacilli encounterd in cutaneous tuberculosis is low [11]. Because lupus vulgaris is a paucibacillary form of tuberculous infection, culture is often negative and the diagnosis is mainly based on the Mantoux test, the histopathological appearance, and the response to chemotherapy [8].…”