Cutaneous eruptions in congenital tuberculosis

Abstract

Systemic tuberculosis with morphologic skin lesions that were essentially identical developed in two infants who were born of tuberculous mothers. In each patient, the infection induced erythematous papules with central crusted dells, noted four and eight weeks after birth, respectively. In each case, the diagnosis of tuberculosis was made by examination of tissue that was obtained at laparotomy. In neither patient was Mycobacterium tuberculosis found in the skin lesions. The conditions of both patients responded well to antituberculous therapy. This article reviews the possible categorization of the skin lesions in these infants.

Radiological Case of the Month

“…However, Hageman et al5 stressed that the distinction between congenital and early neonatally acquired tuberculosis was primarily epidemi¬ ologie because the modes of presentation, treatment, and immediate prognosis were essentially the same. Our case of neonatal tuberculosis had features similar to the 24 cases of congenital tuberculosis described since the intro¬ duction of isoniazid5: (1) hepatomegaly and respiratory distress as presenting signs, (2) use of gastric aspirate to confirm the diagnosis, and (3) maternal disease often missed until the diagnosis was made in the neonate. In¬ fant mortality related to this condition is still high (46% of cases) and results of skin tests are usually negative.5 With prompt recognition and adequate treatment, the disease is curable.…”

Analysis of 170 cases of congenital TB reported in the literature between 1946 and 2009

“…Based on the Cantwell's criteria, six patients were diagnosed with congenital tuberculosis in the Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University from 1994 to 2009, and another 164 cases were reported in different literatures 1, 3, 5–119. In this study, we focused on summarizing the laboratory findings and other factors associated with prognosis of congenital tuberculosis.…”

Gaps and Dummies

“…Within the literature there are two analyses available to account for the occurrence of Breckenridge(1975), McCray(1981) es in (80).…”