[Hairy cell leukemia associated with tuberculosis, disclosed by erythema nodosum]

A forty-two-year-old man presented with erythema nodosum of undeterminated etiology and pancytopenia. A bone marrow biopsy revealed extensive hairy-cell infiltration. Four months later, the diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis was suggested by the appearance of a pulmonary infiltrate in the left upper lobe. Despite antituberculous chemotherapy, the patient died. Post-mortem bacteriologic confirmation was given by sputum culture.