Lupus Vulgaris of the External Nose in a Paediatric Patient: A Case Report from Muhimbili National Hospital, Tanzania

Abstract

Lupus vulgaris is the most common form of cutaneous tuberculosis which usually occurs in patients who have been previously sensitized to Mycobacterium tuberculosis.[1] We present a case of a 4-year-old girl who was diagnosed to have lupus vulgaris clinically and was then confirmed histopathologically. On local examination, the patient had irregularly  bordered, well demarcated, whitish to reddish lesion on her external nose. The histopathological examination showed many dermal stromal  granulomas of epithelioid cells, many multinucleated giant cells of Langhans type. This case report is therefore to emphasize on the importance of early diagnosis of lupus vulgaris of the external nose both clinically and on histopathological basis so as to avoid its destructive consequences which are mainly erosion of the external nose, nasal cavity and the face and in rare occasions, possible development of a carcinoma of squamous cell type.
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Key words: Lupus vulgaris, external nose, Tanzania