Cutaneous tuberculosis with an unusual appearance and location

Sqalli Houssaini Asmaa, Badreddine Hassam

PAMJ. 2019; 32:81. Published 18 Feb 2019 | doi:10.11604/pamj.2019.32.81.18206

Tuberculosis is a bacterial disease caused by mycobacterium tuberculosis. It's cutaneous form accounts for 2% of all extrapulmonary tuberculosis. We report a case of 30-year-old woman with nodules evolving for two years. Examination showed gums of genital and inguinocrural location, and scrofulous scars. Several diagnoses were discussed including tuberculosis, syphilis, actinomycosis, or cutaneous lymphoma. Skin biopsy revealed an epithelial giganto-cellular granuloma with caseating necrosis; the culture of a cutaneous fragment was positive for Mycobacterium Tuberculosis. Our case is original and unusual due to the uncommon clinical appearance and location of the nodules grouped in the inguinocrural region. The multiplicity of the clinical forms of cutaneous tuberculosis sometimes makes the diagnosis difficult. Gums and scrofulodermas remain the most frequent forms of cutaneous tuberculosis in Morocco. According to the immuno-anatomo-clinical classification, tuberculous gum is part of the multi-bacillary forms and is seen mostly in immunocompromised patients.
Corresponding author
Sqalli Houssaini Asmaa, Dermatology and Venerology Department, Hospital IBN SINA, Faculty of Médicine and Pharmacy, Mohammed V University, Rabat, Morocco (sqalli_asmae@hotmail.com)


The Pan African Medical Journal (ISSN: 1937-8688) is a subsidiary of the Pan African Medical Journal. The contents of this journal is intended exclusively for professionals in the medical, paramedical and public health and other health sectors.

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