Lupus Vulgaris: A Diagnostic Challenge

  • Hisabella Lorena Simões Porto Residente de Dermatologia / Dermatology Resident at Federal University of Juiz de Fora Teaching Hospital, Minas Gerais, Brazil
  • Isabela Alves Guerra Residente de Dermatologia / Dermatology Resident at Federal University of Juiz de Fora Teaching Hospital, Minas Gerais, Brazil
  • Barbara Figueiredo Bastos Residente de Dermatologia / Dermatology Resident at Federal University of Juiz de Fora Teaching Hospital, Minas Gerais, Brazil
  • Marina Ferreira Residente de Dermatologia / Dermatology Resident at Federal University of Juiz de Fora Teaching Hospital, Minas Gerais, Brazil
  • Marcelino Pereira Martins Neto Professor de Dermatologia / Professor of the Dermatology Department at Presidente Antonio Carlos University / Doutorando em Ciências Biomédicas / Doctoral student in Biomedics Science at Rosário University (IUNIR), Rosário, Argentina
  • Maria Christina Marques Nogueira Castañon Professor titular e pesquisador / Full professor and Reseacher at the Institute of Biological Sciences of the Federal University of Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, Brazil; Assistente de Dermatologia e Dermatopatologia / Consultant of Dermatology and Dermatopathology / Federal University of Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, Brazil
Keywords: Lupus Vulgaris/diagnosis, Tuberculin Test, Tuberculosis, Cutaneous

Abstract

Lupus vulgaris is a clinical variant of cutaneous tuberculosis, a rare subtype of extrapulmonary infection caused by the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex. A paucibacillary form associated with high degrees of immunity, predominantly in the face, may present several clinical and histopathological differential diagnoses, which makes its diagnosis challenging. We present a case of lupus vulgaris in an immunocompetent patient, whose initial clinical presentation and histopathology did not suggest the condition. The objective is to highlight the relevance of the hypothesis of cutaneous tuberculosis as an important differential diagnosis, especially in endemic areas.

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Published
2021-04-05
How to Cite
Simões Porto, H. L., Alves Guerra, I., Figueiredo Bastos , B., Ferreira , M., Pereira Martins Neto, M., & Marques Nogueira Castañon, M. C. (2021). Lupus Vulgaris: A Diagnostic Challenge. Journal of the Portuguese Society of Dermatology and Venereology, 79(1), 75-77. https://doi.org/10.29021/spdv.79.1.1284
Section
Case Reports