Introduction:

cutaneous tuberculosis is not frequent and the diagnosis is difficult because it presents several clinical forms, none specific of the disease, and may require several laboratory studies to confirm it.

Objectives:

to carry out a review of the cases of cutaneous tuberculosis observed in the Dermatology Service of Hospital Nacional in the period 1990 - 2019; determining their demographic, clinical, laboratory and evolutionary characteristics.

Methodology:

retrospective, descriptive and observational study.

Results:

7 cases were diagnosed; 5 men and 2 women; with ages ranging from 4 months to 74 years and 3 were native. The clinical forms were scrofuloderma and gummy in 3 cases; warty in 1. All had systemic involvement (lung in 3 cases, bone in 2 and lymph node in 4) and also immunosuppressive factors, predominantly malnutrition. In 3 cases, the diagnosis was confirmed by the culture of skin lesions that reported Mycobacterium tuberculosis in 2 and M. bovis in 1. The other cases were diagnosed by findings of acid-fast bacilli in skin or other organs, compatible pathological anatomy and response to treatment. All received specific treatment for the disease with a good response, except for one case with severe immunodeficiency that died.

Conclusions:

cutaneous tuberculosis is also rare in our Department, but its diagnosis represents a significant challenge and also accompanies systemic involvement, so treatment must be timely.

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