Cutaneous tuberculosis simultaneously presenting as a subcutaneous nodule and mass: A case report

Abstract

Although the incidence of tuberculosis (TB) is decreasing globally, it remains an endemic disease in Taiwan. The etiology of cutaneous TB can be endogenous or exogenous. The mechanism of infection could be direct inoculation, contiguity, or hematogenous dissemination. The clinical manifestations are diverse, ranging from scrofuloderma, acute miliary TB, tuberculous chancre, tuberculosis verrucosa cutis, and lupus vulgaris to tuberculid. Basis the bacterial load, cutaneous TB is classified as multibacillary or paucibacillary. We present a case of cutaneous TB that initially presented as a subcutaneous nodule and a mass. The cutaneous TB likely originated from underlying TB lymphadenitis and TB spine and presented as scrofuloderma.

Keywords

• Cutaneous tuberculosis
• Scrofuloderma
• Nodule
• Mass