Tuberculosis continues to draw special attention from health care professionals and
society in general. Cutaneous tuberculosis is an infection caused by M. tuberculosis
complex, M. bovis and bacillus Calmette-Guérin. Depending on individual immunity,
environmental factors and the type of inoculum, it may present varied clinical and
evolutionary aspects. Patients with HIV and those using immunobiological drugs are
more prone to infection, which is a great concern in centers where the disease is
considered endemic. This paper aims to review the current situation of cutaneous
tuberculosis in light of this new scenario, highlighting the emergence of new and
more specific methods of diagnosis, and the molecular and cellular mechanisms that
regulate the parasite-host interaction.