Cutaneous tuberculosis

Cutaneous tuberculosis is an infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex. Its clinical manifestations vary with infection route, host immunity, etc. Traditional laboratory examinations, including acid-fast staining followed by direct microscopy, cultivation, histopathological examination and so on, still play important roles in the diagnosis and treatment of cutaneous tuberculosis. Development of a series of laboratory techniques represented by nucleic acid amplification tests provides significant support for accurate clinical diagnosis and treatment in recent years. This review summarizes advances in the etiology, pathogenesis, clinical manifestations, laboratory examinations and treatment of cutaneous tuberculosis. Key words: Tuberculosis, cutaneous; Diagnosis; Clinical protocols