Polymerase chain reaction based detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex in lupus vulgaris: a case report [Case Study]

Authors: O. Baylan¹; E. Arca²; A. Ozcan³; O. Kisa¹; A. Albay¹; L. Doganci¹

Source: The International Journal of Tuberculosis and Lung Disease, Volume 8, Number 9, September 2004 , pp. 1147-1150(4)

Publisher: International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease

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Abstract:

Lupus vulgaris (LV), the commonest of all forms of cutaneous tuberculosis, can affect the earlobes. Authors present a 20-year-old male patient with LV of the left earlobe initially misdiagnosed as pyoderma and treated superfluously with antibiotics at different intervals over the last 4 years in another hospital. Mycobacteria could not be seen or isolated by stained smears or conventional or radiometric culture methods from the skin biopsy specimens. Suspected clinical diagnosis of our patient was LV. This was supported by positive polymerase chain reaction assay and histological findings. The lesion was treated successfully with anti-tuberculosis chemotherapy, further confirming the diagnosis of LV.

Keywords: cutaneous tuberculosis; lupus vulgaris; Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex; polymerase chain reaction

Document Type: Short communication

Affiliations: 1: Department of Microbiology and Clinical Microbiology, Gulhane Military Medical Academy, Ankara, Turkey 2: Department of Dermatology, Gulhane Military Medical Academy, Ankara, Turkey 3: Department of Pathology, Gulhane Military Medical Academy, Ankara, Turkey