Cutaneous tuberculosis: A series of 10 cases collected at the Dermatology-Venereology Department of the Treichville University Hospital Center

Abstract

Background: Cutaneous tuberculosis is a rare and under-diagnosed localization of tuberculosis due to its anatomo-clinical polymorphism and the infrequent isolation of mycobacteria. The general objective of our study was to identify its epidemiological, clinical, paraclinical, and evolutive particularities in our working environment. Methods: We conducted a prospective study of case series from January 2019 to July 2022. Any patient presenting suggestive clinical signs of cutaneous tuberculosis, as well as a histological and/or biological confirmation, was included. Results: Out of 26024 patients consulted, 10 cases of cutaneous tuberculosis were identified (0.03%), with a male predominance (M/F ratio of 9). The average age of the patients was 24 years, with an interquartile range of 23 years and extremes of 5 and 57 years. The main clinical forms identified were scrofulodermas (7 cases). We noted three exceptional cases in which several clinical forms were associated: gummas and verrucous tuberculosis, scrofulodermas and gummas, and scrofulodermas, gummas, and verrucous tuberculosis. Histopathology of skin fragments showed tuberculoid granuloma associated with caseous necrosis in 100% of the cases. Auramine staining found AFB in 67% while PCR revealed Mycobacterium tuberculosis in 85.71%. HIV serology was negative in all patients. Conclusion: Cutaneous tuberculosis in Abidjan is dominated by multibacillary forms, namely gums and scrofuloderma such as other series in the West African subregion. The negativity of HIV serology in all our patients raises the question of the link between cutaneous tuberculosis and HIV as well as the favoring factors of cutaneous tuberculosis in our context. Key words: Abidjan, Ivory coast, Epidemiology, Cutaneous tuberculosis