CUTANEOUS TUBERCULOSIS IN HONG KONG: A 10-YEAR RETROSPECTIVE STUDY

Background. Cutaneous tuberculosis was once a relatively common skin disease in Hong Kong. Tuberculosis verrucosa cutis was the commonest type. Because the last survey was carried out 25 years ago, it was thought necessary to find out the new incidence and pattern of this important disease in this locality. Methods. A 10-year (1983-1992) retrospective survey on the epidemiologic and clinicobacteriologic aspects of cutaneous tuberculosis had been done in the public sector of Hong Kong. The records of the confirmed cases were retrieved for statistical analysis. Results. A total of 176 cases are included in the final analysis. This represents 0.066% of all new skin cases seen during the 10-year period. Among these, 79.5% are erythema induratum, 6.3% lupus vulgaris, and 4.5% tuberculosis verrucosa cutis. They are further divided into true cutaneous tuberculosis (14.8%, n=26) and the tuberculide (85.2%, n=150). Among the patients with true tuberculosis, 42.3% had lupus vulgaris, 30.8% had tuberculosis verrucosa cutis, and 26.9% had scrofuloderma. Among the tuberculides, erythema induratum accounted for 93.3%. Conclusions. Cutaneous tuberculosis is now uncommon in Hong Kong. Tuberculosis verrucosa cutis is no longer the commonest type in Hong Kong as described in some textbooks. Erythema induratum is now the most common among the total cases and lupus vulgaris is the most common among the true cutaneous forms of tuberculosis.     

Lupus vulgaris: report of two cases

Although there has been a steady decline in the incidence of tuberculosis in recent years, it persists in some regions, and where AIDS is especially prevalent, the number of new cases has been increasing. Thus, cutaneous tuberculosis has re-emerged in areas with a high incidence of HIV infection and multidrug-resistant pulmonary tuberculosis. Lupus vulgaris has been and remains the most common form of cutaneous tuberculosis. Cutaneous manifestations of disseminated tuberculosis are unusual, being seen in less than 0.5% of cases. Scrofuloderma, tuberculosis verrucosa cutis and lupus vulgaris comprise most cutaneous tuberculosis cases. Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) is derived from an attenuated strain of Mycobacterium bovis and is employed beneficially as a relatively safe vaccination in Poland and other countries in which the prevalence of tuberculosis is high. However, BCG vaccination may produce complications, including disseminated BCG and lupus vulgaris, the latter seen in one of our two patients in whom lupus vulgaris at the inoculation site followed a second vaccination with BCG 12 years after the initial one. A similar phenomenon has been described after immunotherapy with BCG vaccination. Re-infection (secondary) inoculation cutaneous tuberculosis may also occur as a result of BCG vaccination, producing either lupus vulgaris or tuberculosis verrucosa cutis, probably depending upon the patient's degree of cell-mediated immunity. However, most lupus vulgaris cases are not associated with vaccination with BCG, as occurred in our first patient. For those who do develop lupus vulgaris, it can be persistent for a long period, in some cases for many decades. In the second patient we describe a lengthy duration and cutaneous reactivation at distant sites after more than 40 years.     

Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma developing in lupus vulgaris exfoliativus persistent for 40 years

Background  A 65-year-old man is described with a 40-year history of lupus vulgaris exfoliativus, a form of cutaneous tuberculosis that resembles psoriasis. He had been misdiagnosed as having psoriasis vulgaris for many years. A cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma developed within a plaque of lupus vulgaris exfoliativus.
Methods  A skin biopsy provided the correct diagnoses.
Results  The patient was successfully treated with medication for tuberculosis and had his skin cancer cured by surgical excision.
Conclusions  With an increasing worldwide incidence of tuberculosis, one needs to be aware of its cutaneous forms and variants, as well as its complications, in particular skin cancer. Lupus vulgaris exfoliativus may resemble psoriasis vulgaris.     

Cutaneous Tuberculosis in Children

Abstract: Cutaneous tuberculosis is a rare form of extrapulmonary tuberculosis that accounts for 1% to 2% of cases. Childhood skin tuberculosis represents 18% to 82% of all cutaneous tuberculosis cases. Scrofuloderma and lupus vulgaris are the two most common clinical forms in children. An increase in the number of tuberculids, especially lichen scrofulosorum, has been observed in the last several years. Cutaneous tuberculosis in children can be severe and have a protracted course. Multiplicity of lesions and multifocal disseminated involvement in scrofuloderma and lupus vulgaris is common. Scrofuloderma progressing to gummatous lesions (scrofulous gumma) is mostly described in children. Morbidities and deformities are more severe in children.     

Skin tuberculosis as seen at Ga-Rankuwa Hospital

The experience with cutaneous tuberculosis at Ga-Rankuwa Hospital is reviewed. A total of 92 cases of skin tuberculosis was seen over the past 12 years. All recognized forms of cutaneous tuberculosis were encountered, plus some forms which were difficult to classify. Lupus vulgaris was the most common true infection and papulonecrotic tuberculid the most common tuberculid. The classification and pathogenetic mechanisms are briefly discussed.     

Multifocal Childhood Cutaneous Tuberculosis: Report of Two Interesting Cases from Sikkim,India

Abstract: Cutaneous tuberculosis is an important health problem in developing countries such as India. Poverty, overcrowding, malnutrition, and ignorance are predisposing factors. The commonly seen variants of cutaneous tuberculosis are scrofuloderma, lupus vulgaris, and tuberculosis verrucosa cutis. Malnourished children may present with unusual forms of cutaneous tuberculosis. Herein we report two interesting cases of multifocal cutaneous tuberculosis in malnourished children.     

Lupus vulgaris: Difficulties in diagnosis

Lupus vulgaris is one of the most common forms of cutaneous tuberculosis. It presents a diagnostic challenge due to its paucibacillary nature. This is a report of a case of a delayed diagnosis of lupus vulgaris, presenting as perianal and peristomal plaques, followed by a review of the diagnostic tools for lupus vulgaris and their limitations.     

Pulmonary tuberculosis and cutaneous mycobacterial infection in a patient with incontinentia pigmenti

Lupus vulgaris is reinfection tuberculosis of the skin and may result from direct extension, or hematogenous or lymphatic spread from a tuberculosis focus. Lupus vulgaris following bacille Calmette-Guerin (BCG) vaccination is a rare entity. Incontinentia pigmenti is an X-linked dominant genodermatosis in which vesicular, verrucous, and pigmented lesions are associated with various developmental defects. There is evidence of altered immunologic reactivity in some patients with incontinentia pigmenti. A 12-year-old girl hospitalized for pulmonary tuberculosis presented with bizarre-shaped brown macules following Blaschko lines on the left deltoid area, compatible with incontinentia pigmenti, which had appeared following BCG vaccination at the age of 7 years. Histopathologic examination found noncaseated granulomas in the dermis. Antituberculous treatment for pulmonary and cutaneous tuberculosis was initiated along with genetic counseling. Immunologic abnormalities have been reported in conjunction with incontinentia pigmenti. Simultaneous occurrence of pulmonary and cutaneous tuberculosis in our patient might be either coincidental or indicate derangements in the cellular immune system.     

Polymerase chain reaction based detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in tissues showing granulomatous inflammation without demonstrable acid-fast bacilli

BACKGROUND: Cutaneous tuberculosis is especially difficult to distinguish from other granulomatous dermatoses. We used polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to evaluate the incidence of cutaneous tuberculosis and atypical mycobacterial infection in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissues with unspecified granulomatous inflammation and negative results for acid-fast bacilli (AFB), and analyzed the pattern of cutaneous tuberculosis in this group of patients. METHODS: A total of 38 specimens which had been collected from 36 patients and fulfilled the criteria for tissues described above were used in this study. Two different primer pairs targeting the gene encoding for 16S ribosomal RNA (common to all mycobacteria) and the insertion sequence IS6110 (specific for M. tuberculosis complex) were used in the PCR assays. The clinical characteristics, histopathologic findings, and culture results of the patients were also analyzed. RESULTS: Four specimens were excluded from the analysis due to the lack of internal control testing. Of the remaining 34 specimens, 22 were PCR positive for the 16S rRNA gene. Among them, 18 specimens were PCR positive for both the 16S rRNA gene and IS6110. Cutaneous tuberculosis could be diagnosed in these 18 cases (56.2%). Out of the 18 cases, there were 8 women and 10 men. The age range was 15-77 years (mean: 44.2 years). After reviewing their clinical presentation, 11 cases were considered as tuberculosis verrucosa cutis, 6 cases as lupus vulgaris, and 1 case as erythema induratum. The remaining 4 cases (12.5%) positive only for 16S rRNA gene were considered as possible atypical mycobacteria infection. CONCLUSIONS: These results show that in paucibacillary form of cutaneous tuberculosis with unclassical clinical and histological presentation, this PCR system provides rapid and sensitive detection of M. tuberculosis DNA in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded specimens. Cutaneous tuberculosis represents a significant proportion in specimens showing granulomatous inflammation. In areas like Taiwan, where prevalence of pulmonary tuberculosis is still high, tuberculosis verrucosa cutis and lupus vulgaris are common forms of cutaneous tuberculosis and are seen more frequently than atypical mycobacterial infection.     

Skin tuberculosis in children: learning from India

Cutaneous tuberculosis in children is a major health problem in India. It accounts for about 1.5% of all the cases of extrapulmonary tuberculosis. Scrofuloderma and lupus vulgaris are the two most common forms of tuberculosis. However, the trend in the pattern of cutaneous tuberculosis is changing, as the tuberculid, lichen scrofulosorum, has become more common in recent years. Overall, the clinical patterns are comparable with adults. However, children can have widespread and severe involvement because many unusual and uncommon patterns are known to occur in children. Underlying systemic involvement is more common in children, compared with adults.     

Cutaneous tuberculosis and phlyctenular keratoconjunctivitis: a forgotten association

Cutaneous tuberculosis may be associated with concurrent systemic foci in the body such as lung, lymph node, bone or CNS. Phlyctenular keratoconjunctivitis (PKC) is a manifestation of immunological response to a variety of antigens in the eye, tubercular focus (evident or occult) being the commonest in India. Reports in the existing literature have shown lungs and lymph nodes to be the predominant underlying focus associated with PKC, whereas cutaneous tuberculosis has seldom been found in this situation. We report this forgotten association in two children with cutaneous tuberculosis, one each with lupus vulgaris and scrofuloderma, who also had PKC. Interestingly, one of the cases also had simultaneous lichen scrofulosorum, which is also an immunological response to tubercular antigen and manifests in the skin, thus showing immunological manifestation in two different organ systems along with cutaneous focus of tuberculosis.     

Lupus vulgaris diagnosed after 37 years: a case of delayed diagnosis

Lupus vulgaris is the most common chronic, progressive form of cutaneous tuberculosis. Lesions are generally solitary and found on the head and neck region. Cutaneous tuberculosis can present with different clinical appearances. Therefore, it does not necessarily have characteristic findings and can be difficult to diagnose. Although there were typical clinical findings, the diagnosis of our case was delayed because of its asymptomatic course.     

Cutaneous tuberculosis and squamous-cell carcinoma

The incidence of all forms of cutaneous tuberculosis, including lupus vulgaris (the most common form) decreased progressively in developed countries during the twentieth century, this change being attributed to improved living standards and specific therapy. Despite the decrease in cutaneous tuberculosis, some cases are still found and correct diagnosis and management are fundamental, both for the patients and for public health. Long lasting, misdiagnosed or untreated cutaneous tuberculosis may lead to different forms of cancer. This case report involves a 74-year old male farmer with lupus vulgaris on his face. During anti-tuberculosis treatment he developed a tumor on his forehead, which was histologically confirmed as a squamous cell carcinoma.     

Cutaneous tuberculosis: diagnosis and treatment

As we move into the 21st century, cutaneous tuberculosis has re-emerged in areas with a high incidence of HIV infection and multi-drug resistant pulmonary tuberculosis. Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Mycobacterium bovis, and the BCG vaccine cause tuberculosis involving the skin. True cutaneous tuberculosis lesions can be acquired either exogenously or endogenously, show a wide spectrum of morphology and M. tuberculosis can be diagnosed by acid-fast bacilli (AFB) stains, culture or polymerase chain reaction (PCR). These lesions include tuberculous chancre, tuberculosis verrucosa cutis, lupus vulgaris, scrofuloderma, orificial tuberculosis, miliary tuberculosis, metastatic tuberculosis abscess and most cases of papulonecrotic tuberculid. The tuberculids, like cutaneous tuberculosis, show a wide spectrum of morphology but M. tuberculosis is not identified by AFB stains, culture or PCR. These lesions include lichen scrofulosorum, nodular tuberculid, most cases of nodular granulomatous phlebitis, most cases of erythema induratum of Bazin and some cases of papulonecrotic tuberculid. Diagnosis of cutaneous tuberculosis is challenging and requires the correlation of clinical findings with diagnostic testing; in addition to traditional AFB smears and cultures, there has been increased utilization of PCR because of its rapidity, sensitivity and specificity. Since most cases of cutaneous tuberculosis are a manifestation of systemic involvement, and the bacillary load in cutaneous tuberculosis is usually less than in pulmonary tuberculosis, treatment regimens are similar to that of tuberculosis in general. In the immunocompromised, such as an HIV infected patient with disseminated miliary tuberculosis, rapid diagnosis and prompt initiation of treatment are paramount. Unfortunately, despite even the most aggressive efforts, the prognosis in these individuals is poor when multi-drug resistant mycobacterium are present. An increased awareness of the re-emergence of cutaneous tuberculosis will allow for the proper diagnosis and management of this increasingly common skin disorder.     

Lupus erythematosus: considerations about clinical,cutaneous and therapeutic aspects

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus is a chronic inflammatory disease with multifactorial etiology. Although clinical manifestations are varied, the skin is an important target-organ, which contributes to the inclusion of skin lesions in 4 out of the 17 new criteria for the diagnosis of the disease, according to the Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics. The cutaneous manifestations of lupus are pleomorphic. Depending on their clinical characteristics, they can be classified into Acute Cutaneous Lupus Erythematosus, Subacute Cutaneous Lupus Erythematosus, Chronic Cutaneous Lupus Erythematosus and Intermittent Cutaneous Lupus Erythematosus. Treatment is based on preventive measures, reversal of inflammation, prevention of damage to target organs and relief of adverse events due to pharmacological therapy. The most commonly used treatment options are topical, systemic and surgical treatment, as well as phototherapy. The correct handling of the cases depends on a careful evaluation of the morphology of the lesions and the patient''s general status, always taking into consideration not only the benefits but also the side effects of each therapeutic proposal.     

Disseminated lupus vulgaris and papulonecrotic tuberculid: case report

The incidence of tuberculosis and extrapulmonary forms of this disease is increasing all over the world. Lupus vulgaris is the most prevalent form of cutaneous tuberculosis in Europe and the Middle East. Papulonecrotic tuberculid, the most common form of hyperergic response to mycobacteria or their fragments, is uncommon in children. We report lupus vulgaris with papulonecrotic tuberculid in a 12-year-old girl who had a 3-year history of slowly growing plaques on her trunk, extremities, and the tip of her nose and papuloulcerative lesions over her entire body. A skin biopsy specimen showed minimally caseating granulomatous inflammation. Staining for acid-fast bacilli was negative in both plaques and papules. Polymerase chain reaction identified Mycobacterium tuberculosis DNA in the patient's sputum, gastric fluid, and plaques and was negative in the papules. She was started on antituberculous therapy with four drugs and her lesions responded rapidly.     

A clinicopathological study of cutaneous tuberculosis at Dibrugarh district, Assam

Background:

Cutaneous tuberculosis forms a small subset of extra pulmonary tuberculosis and has a worldwide distribution.

Aims:

The present study is an attempt to find out the incidence, clinical spectrum, and histopathological features of cutaneous tuberculosis.

Materials and Methods:

A total of 42 cases of newly diagnosed patients of cutaneous tuberculosis attending dermatology out patient department over a period of 1 year were included in the study. A detailed clinical examination and investigations including histopathological examination were carried out.

Results:

Scrofuloderma was the most common form seen in 50% cases followed by lupus vulgaris in 42.86%, tuberculosis verrucosa cutis in 4.76%, and lichen scrofulosorum in 2.38% cases. The Mantoux test was positive in 83.33% cases. Characteristic tuberculoid granulomas were seen in 72.22% cases of lupus vulgaris, 42.86% cases of scrofuloderma and all cases of tuberculosis verrucosa cutis and lichen scrofulosorum.

Conclusion:

Cutaneous tuberculosis is still highly prevalent in upper Assam. Early diagnosis and treatment are essential to prevent its complications.     

HYPERTROPHIC LUPUS VULGARIS: AN UNUSUAL PRESENTATION

Lupus vulgaris is the most common form of cutaneous tuberculosis occurring in previously sensitized individuals with a high degree of tuberculin sensitivity. Various forms including plaque, ulcerative, hypertrophic, vegetative, papular, and nodular forms have been described. A 30-year-old male patient presented with a very large hypertrophic lupus vulgaris lesion over left side of chest since 22 years. Histopathological examination showed granulomatous infiltration without caseation necrosis. The Mantoux reaction was strongly positive. Hypertrophic lupus vulgaris of such a giant size and that too at an unusual site is extremely rare and hence is being reported.     

Co-existence of atypical tuberculid with lupus vulgaris

Cutaneous tuberculosis (CTB) is an uncommon form of extra-pulmonary tuberculosis accounting for ≤2% of mycobacterium tuberculosis cases and is more often reported from developing countries. Tuberculid, a cutaneous hypersensitivity reaction to mycobacteria or its fragments, is a another rare cutaneous manifestation seen in association with tuberculosis of other organ systems including tuberculous lymphadenitis, pulmonary tuberculosis, etc. Co-occurrence of a tuberculid with CTB is extremely rare. Herein we report a childhood case of lupus vulgaris, a type of CTB, associated with an atypical presentation of tuberculid.     

Relevant diagnostic implications of the therapeutic challenge with antitubercular therapy in an unusual case of sarcoidosis mimicking lupus vulgaris

Cutaneous manifestations in sarcoidosis are seen in 25–35% of patients with systemic disease and may be the sole manifestation in few patients. It is known that isolated cutaneous sarcoidosis is a great mimicker and can be easily misdiagnosed as other granulomatous conditions especially lupus vulgaris in regions with high burden of tuberculosis (TB). Here we present a case with cutaneous sarcoidosis who was initially misdiagnosed and treated as bifocal lupus vulgaris with antitubercular therapy (ATT) for 6 months. This nonresponsiveness to therapy prompted us to investigate the patient further for other differentials, failing which a diagnosis of cutaneous sarcoidosis was made and the patient was treated with oral steroids and methotrexate with complete clearance of lesions after 14 weeks of therapy. Our case reemphasizes the value of therapeutic trial of ATT in diagnosis of cutaneous TB and highlights the remarkable clinical mimic of sarcoidosis with lupus vulgaris.