title: Identification of Mycobacterium tuberculosis DNA in five different types of cutaneous lesions by the polymerase chain reaction.
abstract: METHODS
  A spectrum of skin lesions are believed to be secondary to the presence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Demonstration of M tuberculosis directly or in culture in some of these eruptions can be difficult. We used the polymerase chain reaction and a primer/probe set specifically for M tuberculosis complex DNA to evaluate five types of skin lesions clinically considered to represent infection by, or reaction to, M tuberculosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Mycobacterium tuberculosis DNA was demonstrated in paraffin-embedded sections of these five cases, representing a variety of clinical and histologic patterns. In two cases, M tuberculosis could not be demonstrated by routine cultural methods.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  DNA diagnostic methods such as the polymerase chain reaction can be used to rapidly identify cutaneous lesions produced by M tuberculosis.
authors.affiliation: Division of Dermatology, University School of Medicine, St Louis, Mo.
authors.forename: N S
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Penneys
authors.forename: C L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Leonardi
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cook
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Blauvelt
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rosenberg
authors.forename: L D
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Eells
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Konwiser
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Aaronson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis*; D005148:Facial Dermatoses / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005784:Gene Amplification; D006801:Humans; D015151:Immunoblotting; D007868:Leg Dermatoses / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D008177:Lupus Vulgaris / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D009668:Nose Diseases / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D009693:Nucleic Acid Hybridization; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D014382:Tuberculosis, Cutaneous / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D014388:Tuberculosis, Lymph Node / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial