Korean J Dermatol.  1994 Nov;32(6):990-997.

Detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis DNA using the Polymerase Chain Reaction in Paraffin - embedded Biopsy Specimens of Skin tuberculosis

Abstract

BACKGROUND: A presumptive diagnosis of cutaneous tuberculosis can be made on the basis of patients' history, clinical and histologic findings. However, isolation of Mycobacerum tuberculosis is required for a definitive diagnosis and confirmation can be difficult with traditional techniques, including the direct visualization in tissue and growth in culture.
OBJECTIVE
We used polymerase chain reaction(PCR) for the detection of mycobacterial DNA from routinely prepared formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded skin specimens to evaluate its usefulness as a diagnostic tool. METHOD: We studied typical cases of localized cutaneous tuberculosis. Ten paraffin-embedded biopsy samples obtained from 2 patients with scrofuloderma, lupus vulgaris and tuberculosis verrucosa cutis were analyzed by PCR, respectively.
RESULTS
M. tuerculosis DNA was demonstrated in all 10 specimens.
CONCLUSION
This study shows that the PCR will be a useful method for the confirmation of the diagnosis in localized cutaneous tuberculosis and many skin lesions thought to be related to M. tuberculosis infection.


MeSH Terms

Biopsy*
Diagnosis
DNA*
Humans
Lupus Vulgaris
Mycobacterium tuberculosis*
Mycobacterium*
Paraffin*
Polymerase Chain Reaction*
Skin*
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis, Cutaneous*
DNA
Paraffin
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