Primary Tuberculous Complex of the Skin

A 7-YEAR-OLD girl who had symptoms of suppurative inguinal lymphadenitis proved to have an unusual type of skin tuberculosis: a primary complex involving the skin of the foot and the draining inguinal lymph nodes. This case is being reported because of the rarity of this lesion and the consequences of an incorrect diagnosis. A primary (Ghon) complex involving skin and inguinal lymph nodes is encountered infrequently.1The skin lesion may be insignificant and easily overlooked; the associated lymphadenopathy is difficult to differentiate from that produced by other diseases. Children are most often affected.2Incorrect diagnosis may lead to chronicity of symptoms, inappropriate surgical procedures, and dissemination of the disease. The identification of tuberculous contacts is important for the detection of tuberculosis. Report of a Case A 7-year-old girl was admitted to the Miriam Hospital with a painful lump in the right groin, which had been present for four