Pattern of Cutaneous Tuberculosis as Identified by Morphological Study of Skin Lesions at Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Center, Karachi

• Main Authors: M. Naved Uz Zafar, M. Arif Memon, M. Akbar Agha, Shaheen Akbar Agha, Yasmeen Hashim, Talat Mirza, Dur Muhammad, Samina Rizvi
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Gomal Medical College, D.I.Khan, Pakistan 2010-06-01
• Series: Gomal Journal of Medical Sciences
• Online Access: http://gjms.com.pk/ojs24/index.php/gjms/article/view/201
• ISSN: 1819-7973; 1997-2067

Background: Cutaneous tuberculosis is a relatively rare clinical entity in western countries but is still prevalent in the developing world. This study was conducted to identify cases of cutaneous tuberculosis in skin lesions, study its morphology, analyse its frequency and the relative frequencies of its clinico-pathological types. Material & Methods: All specimens of skin biopsy for histopathology received over a period of 5 years at the Department of Pathology, Basic Medical Sciences Institute, JPMC, Karachi were included. Morphological study was done using Ziehl Neelsen stain for acid fast bacilli and H&E stain for tissue histological assessment. Results: Out of 2682 skin biopsies, 97(3.69%) were cutaneous tuberculosis. The ages ranged from 6-70 years with a mean of 28.32. Maximum number of cases (39) were in second decade. There were 37(38.14%) males and 60(61.85%) females. Out of 97 cases of tuberculosis 50 were not typified. The remaining 47 cases were typified as, 18 were lupus vulgaris, 9 verrucosa cutis, 7 each of tuberculosis cutis oroficialis and scrofuloderma and 6 were tuberculous gummas. Acid fast bacilli were seen in 20 out of 77 caseating and 1 in 20 non-caseating granulomas of tubercuclosis. Conclusion: The frequency of cutaneous tuberculosis is 3.69%. It is more prevalent in the females. Lupus vulgaris is the most common sub type of all cutaneous tuberculosis.