Cutaneous Tuberculosis : A Clinico-morphological Study.
BACKGROUND
Cutaneous tuberculosis forms a small subset of extrapulmonary tuberculosis. The present study is an attempt to observe the clinico morphological pattern seen in cases of cutaneous tuberculosis over a period of 5 years, and to correlate them with mantoux reactivity and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) status.


METHODS
All cases of cutaneous tuberculosis observed among the dermatology in patients and those attending out patient department were included in the study. The basis of diagnosis was clinical, histopathological and microbiological. Intradermal mantoux test and serological test in the form of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for tuberculosis was done. HIV screening was carried out in 32 cases. CD4 counts were done in all HIV positive cases.


RESULTS
A total 0.02% patient attending the dermatology centre had cutaneous tuberculosis. The spectrum of infection included 19 (51%) cases of lupus vulgaris, 7 (19%) cases of papulonecrotic tuberculids, six cases each of tuberculosis verrucosa cutis and scrofuloderma. One case had scrofuloderma and lupus vulgaris and another both scrofuloderma and papulonecrotic tuberculide. One case of lichen scrofulosorum was seen in a seven year old boy. 11 cases revealed evidence of systemic tuberculosis. Seven cases of HIV with CD4 counts between 50-500 cells/μl were observed in this study.
Graded Specialist (Dermatology and Venerology), 5 Air Force Hospital, C/o 99 APO, Assam.
S
S
Arora
Dermatologist, Jorhat, Assam.
G
G
Arora
Senior Advisor (Pathology and Oncology), Base Hospital, Delhi Cantt-10.
S
S
Kakkar
Cutaneous tuberculosis; HIV status
Int J Tuberc Lung Dis. 1999 Jun;3(6):494-500
10383062
Genitourin Med. 1995 Oct;71(5):308-10
7490048
Br J Dermatol. 1997 Apr;136(4):483-9
9155944
Enferm Infecc Microbiol Clin. 1998 Jan;16(1):31-4
9542307
J Am Acad Dermatol. 1992 Mar;26(3 Pt 2):404-7
1564144
Acta Derm Venereol. 1951;31(2):194-211
14829179
Arthritis Rheum. 1998 Oct;41(10):1884-8
9778231
Medicine (Baltimore). 1981 Mar;60(2):95-109
6783810
Int J Dermatol. 1990 May;29(4):237-52
2196232
J Am Acad Dermatol. 1982 Jan;6(1):101-6
6806336
Int J Dermatol. 1987 Oct;26(8):521-6
3119506
Actas Dermosifiliogr. 1978 Nov-Dec;69(11-12):349-64
753082
Ann Dermatol Venereol. 2003 Nov;130(11):1021-4
14724536
Clin Exp Dermatol. 1988 Jan;13(1):31-3
3145160
J Am Acad Dermatol. 1993 Feb;28(2 Pt 2):318-22
8436649