Cutaneous gummatous tuberculosis in a kidney transplant patient
Recommended Citation
Evans NS, Pritchett EN, Jones K, Doyle A, Chung CL, Allen HB, and Cusack CAR. Cutaneous gummatous tuberculosis in a kidney transplant patient. Cutis 2018; 102(2):E32-E35.
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
2-1-2018
Publication Title
Cutis
Abstract
Cutaneous gummatous tuberculosis (TB) is an uncommon subtype of cutaneous TB that can be seen in notably immunocompromised individuals. We report a case of cutaneous gummatous TB in an immunosuppressed kidney transplant patient. A 60-year-old Cambodian woman presented with fever attributed to recurrent pyelonephritis while on immunosuppressive medications 7 months after kidney transplant. She underwent a bilateral native nephrectomy and was found to have peritoneal nodules, which revealed caseating granulomas and acid-fast bacilli (AFB) consistent with kidney and peritoneal TB. Anti-TB therapy was initiated, resulting in symptom resolution. Subsequently, the Tuberculosis Control Program at the Department of Health (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) discontinued her medications due to severe thrombocytopenia. During this time, she was closely monitored with blood draws. Approximately 10 weeks after treatment initiation, she noted recurrent fever and a painful, dull red, subcutaneous nodule on the right side of the flank. Biopsy showed an inflammatory infiltrate within the deep dermis indicative of suppurative granulomatous dermatitis. Ziehl-Neelsen stain demonstrated rare AFB within the cytoplasm of macrophages. The patient was restarted on anti-TB therapy resulting in the resolution of her fever and skin lesions. This case illustrates a noteworthy example of a rare form of cutaneous gummatous TB, which should be considered and included in the differential for cutaneous lesions in an immunosuppressed patient.
Medical Subject Headings
Antitubercular Agents; Female; Granuloma; Humans; Immunocompromised Host; Immunosuppressive Agents; Kidney Transplantation; Middle Aged; Tuberculosis, Cutaneous
PubMed ID
30893397
Volume
102
Issue
2
First Page
E32
Last Page
E35