A rare case of drug resistant tuberculosis lupus vulgaris – a case report

Abstract Tuberculosis (TB) of the skin is uncommon, accounting for around 1.5% of extrapulmonary TB (EPTB) cases. Lupus vulgaris and scrofuloderma are the most common manifestations of cutaneous TB, particularly prevalent in children. Although cutaneous TB is not life-threatening, it can cause profound distress to the patient due to discomfort and disfigurement if not adequately treated. As some manifestations mimic other skin diseases, it can be difficult to diagnose, and patients may receive unnecessary or inappropriate treatment before the correct diagnosis is made. Drug-resistant cutaneous TB should be suspected in patients with no response to first-line drugs, with clinical deterioration. We are reporting a case of a 15-year-old male with a skin lesion over the right foot who was treated symptomatically. This case report highlights the fact that cutaneous TB can be drug-resistant if there is failure to respond to first-line drugs. The accurate and early diagnosis will improve the quality of life of the patients and reduce the complexities of the disease.