Cutaneous tuberculosis in three HIV-infected patients

Although tuberculosis is a common disease in patients infected with HIV, cutaneous presentation is not commonly found. The authors report three HIV-infected patients with cutaneous tuberculosis and lung involvement. Patient 1 presented with a nodular skin lesion on the right forearm and the diagnosis was confirmed by histopathology and PCR study. Patients 2 and 3 presented with generalized erythematous papules and vesicopustules on the trunk and extremities. Culture grew M. tuberculosis in patient 2 and M. tuberculosis DNA was detected in the skin lesion of patient 3 by the PCR method.