title: Polymerase chain reaction compared to other laboratory findings and to clinical evaluation in the diagnosis of cutaneous tuberculosis and atypical mycobacteria skin infection.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cutaneous tuberculosis has re-emerged in the last 15 years together with the higher incidence of pulmonary tuberculosis and multidrug resistance. The choice for a single diagnostic tool among the many available today is a challenge. Our objective was to compare polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with other exams in the diagnosis of cutaneous tuberculosis and atypical mycobacteria skin infection.
  
  
  METHODS
  PCR and a set of five different exams were performed in 32 patients (34 samples of paraffin-embedded tissue) evaluated for 3 years in a university hospital, considering the response to mycobacterial infection treatment as a positive case.
  
  
  RESULTS
  PCR was the most sensitive (88%) and specific (83%) exam. Culture, immunohistochemistry and acid-fast bacilli were not in agreement with clinical response to treatment. Conclusions Although PCR is a useful tool, careful clinical exam is still the gold standard for the evaluation and treatment of cutaneous tuberculosis and mycobacteria skin infection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, Brazil. abdalla@ip2.com.br
authors.forename: Cristina Martinez Zugaib
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Abdalla
authors.forename: Zilda Najjar Prado
authors.initials: ZN
authors.lastname: de Oliveira
authors.forename: Mirian N
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Sotto
authors.forename: Kátia Ramos Moreira
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Leite
authors.forename: Flávio Canellas
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Canavez
authors.forename: Cláudia Muraro
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: de Carvalho
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009165:Mycobacterium Infections, Nontuberculous / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D017678:Sex Distribution; D017192:Skin Diseases, Bacterial / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D014374:Tuberculin Test; D014382:Tuberculosis, Cutaneous / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial