CUTANEOUS TUBERCULOSIS - STUDY OF 4 CASES

Introduction : The recent increase in the incidence of tuberculosis ha s led to the return of cutaneous forms of this disease. In addition, d iagnosis can now be made rapidly using genoma amplification. Case repo rt : Four cases of cutaneous tuberculosis are described in nonimmunosu ppressed patients : two cases of lupus vulgaris, including one due to Mycobacterium africanum, and two others of gummas, including one assoc iated with tuberculosis verrucosa. The diagnosis was suggested by epid emiological, clinical, histological and immunological findings and con firmed by culture of the bacilli in 3 cases and by genoma amplificatio n in 1. Discussion : These observations illustrate the difficulties en countered in determining the tuberculous nature of skin lesions. The c linical presentation, differential diagnosis, the pathophysiology of t his disease and the new interest in genoma amplification are discussed .