Article information
Abstract
Pulmonary and cutaneous tuberculosis are caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis. According to data from the World Health Organization, there are around 8 million new cases per year. The incidence of cutaneous tuberculosis has risen in parallel with that of pulmonary tuberculosis, and coinfection by M tuberculosis and human immunodeficiency virus is considered to be one of the main causes. Current diagnostic methods for pulmonary and extrapulmonary tuberculosis are far from perfect, leading to a delay in starting appropriate therapy. We present a review of these diagnostic methods and of their use in the cutaneous forms. In conclusion, histopathologic findings and isolation of M tuberculosis in cultures of biopsy material or by polymerase chain reaction are the most useful diagnostic tools in cutaneous tuberculosis.
Key words:
cutaneous tuberculosis
diagnosis
mycobacteriosis
Resumen
La tuberculosis pulmonar y cutánea está causada por Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Según datos de la Organización Mundial de la Salud (OMS) se presentan alrededor de 8 millones de casos nuevos al año. La incidencia de la tuberculosis cutánea se ha incrementado paralelamente con la de la tuberculosis pulmonar. La coinfección de M. tuberculosis y el virus de la inmunodeficiencia humana (VIH) se considera una de las principales causas. Los métodos diagnósticos utilizados en la actualidad para la identificación de tuberculosis tanto pulmonar como extrapulmonar dejan un amplio margen de error, retrasando el inicio de un tratamiento oportuno. Presentamos una revisión de dichos métodos y de su aplicación en las formas cutáneas. En conclusión, los hallazgos histopatológicos y el aislamiento de M. tuberculosis en cultivos de biopsias o por reacción en cadena de la polimerasa (PCR) son las herramientas diagnósticas más útiles para la tuberculosis cutánea.
Palabras clave:
tuberculosis cutánea
diagnóstico
micobacteriosis
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