Panorama actual en el diagnóstico de la tuberculosis cutánea

Pulmonary and cutaneous tuberculosis are caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis. According to data from the World Health Organization, there are around 8 million new cases per year. The incidence of cutaneous tuberculosis has risen in parallel with that of pulmonary tuberculosis, and coinfection by M tuberculosis and human immunodeficiency virus is considered to be one of the main causes. Current diagnostic methods for pulmonary and extrapulmonary tuberculosis are far from perfect, leading to a delay in starting appropriate therapy. We present a review of these diagnostic methods and of their use in the cutaneous forms. In conclusion, histopathologic findings and isolation of M tuberculosis in cultures of biopsy material or by polymerase chain reaction are the most useful diagnostic tools in cutaneous tuberculosis.