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Updated: Feb 21, 2026

Skin Biopsy for Diagnosing Discoid Lupus Erythematosus
Published on: June 10, 2025
Disseminated tuberculosis masquerading as a presentation of systemic lupus erythematosus
Justin C-H Li1,2, Warren Fong1,3,4, Limin Wijaya3,4,5
1Department of Rheumatology & Immunology, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore, Singapore.
Abstract:
Tuberculosis (TB) infection is the endemic in Asia-Pacific region. Miliary TB is a disseminated form which may present similarly as autoimmune conditions. Here we describe a 17-year-old girl who had miliary TB with manifestations mimicking new-onset systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) including oral ulcers, serositis, cytopenia, proteinuria and raised autoantibody titers. Complex associations between SLE and TB are highlighted. High index of clinical suspicion for TB infection is needed upon presentations resembling immune diseases like SLE.
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