A Case of Tuberculous Gumma / 대한피부과학회지

ABSTRACT

Tuberculous gumma is the result of a hematogenous dissemination of tubercle bacilli from a primary focus during a period of lowered resistance. This unusual disease affects undernourished children of low socioeconomic status or patients who are severely immunodepressed by a disease or therapy. A 68-year-old female patient presented with tender fluctuant erythematous nodules over both upper extremities, shoulder, back and buttock. The biopsy specimen from the fluctuant plaque of right forearm revealed granulomatous infiltration composed of Langhans giant cells, epitheloid cells, plasma cells, lymphocytes and neutrophils in the deep dermis. Numerous acid fast bacilli was identified in AFB staining. Mycobacterium tuberculosis DNA was detected by polymerase chain reaction technique in the specimen from the skin lesion. We here present a very unusual case of tuberculous gumma.