The many faces of tuberculosis verrucosa cutis in Makassar, Indonesia – A case series

Abstract

Objective

Tuberculosis verrucous cutis (TBVC) is a skin infection caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis, characterized by the presence of a solitaire verrucous plaque, commonly seen on the hands and or feet and could present as a varies of different clinical morphologies.

Case report

We presented three case report of TBVC. Case 1. A 34-year-old woman, presented with a thickened spot in the right index finger since eight months ago. The first lesion appears as small red spots then progressively bigger until oval-shaped. Case 2. A 48-year-old man came with thickened plaques on the calves for 30 years. The lesion starting as a small red patch on the calves. The edge of the lesion was irregular. Case 3. An 11-year-old boy complained of purple and white plaque-like wounds on the left side of his left hand which had been experienced for approximately 9 years ago. Initially, it started as small reddish nodule appears in the area and expand with time to form purplish and white wide plaques on the border.

Results

Case 1 showed regression of the lesion and so the verrucosity after one month of therapy, while case 2 showed improvement after the first-month of therapy and case 3 showed improvement in 3 weeks after therapy.

Conclusion

Tuberculosis verrucous cutis is a disease that should be taken as a health concern in developing countries and remains an issue to the dermatologist as a result of the varieties in its clinical, histopathological, and immunological appearances as well as response to treatment.