Identification of Mycobacterium tuberculosis DNA in Five Different Types of Cutaneous Lesions by the Polymerase Chain Reaction

BACKGROUND AND DESIGN: A spectrum of skin lesions are believed to be secondary to the presence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Demonstration of M tuberculosis directly or in culture in some of these eruptions can be difficult. We used the polymerase chain reaction and a primer/probe set specifically for M tuberculosis complex DNA to evaluate five types of skin lesions clinically considered to represent infection by, or reaction to, M tuberculosis. OBSERVATIONS: Mycobacterium tuberculosis DNA was demonstrated in paraffin-embedded sections of these five cases, representing a variety of clinical and histologic patterns. In two cases, M tuberculosis could not be demonstrated by routine cultural methods. CONCLUSION: DNA diagnostic methods such as the polymerase chain reaction can be used to rapidly identify cutaneous lesions produced by M tuberculosis.