Korean J Dermatol.  1990 Jun;28(3):349-352.

Unusual Skin tuberculosis following BCG Vaccination

• Lew W
• Kim SM
• Lee KH

Abstract

A 14-year-old female patient was seen with a nodular lesion on her left shoulder which developed one month after BCG vaccination. Physical examination revealed a thumb tip sized, irregular surfaced, erythematous scar-like plaque on the left shoulder, and a 2.5cm diameter, movable, subcutaneous nodule without surface change on the left axilla. Histopathologic examination of the plaque on the left shoulder and axillary nodule showed tubercles composed of mononuclear cells, epithelioid cells and giant cells of the Langhans type in the dermis. Caseation necrosis within the typical tubercles was noted. Prominent resolution of the lesion was observed 4 months after oral medication with isoniazid and ethambutol. The subcutaneous axillary nodule which developed after BCG vaccination was thought to be an unusual manifestation of skin tuberculosis.

Keyword

BCG vaccination; Skin tuberculosis

MeSH Terms

Adolescent
Axilla
Dermis
Epithelioid Cells
Ethambutol
Female
Giant Cells
Humans
Isoniazid
Mycobacterium bovis*
Necrosis
Physical Examination
Shoulder
Skin*
Thumb
Tuberculosis, Cutaneous*
Vaccination*
Ethambutol
Isoniazid