Forgotten but not gone - Scrofuloderma in a migrant student from India

Mohammad Bagherirad, Eugene Athan, Owen C Harris

Abstract

A 34-year-old Indian student who immigrated to Australia five years ago presented with a four-week history of neck pain. Physical examination revealed two firm fixed cervical lymph nodes in the anterior triangle and midline region which were tender on palpation and erythematous on inspection. Cording phenomenon was found on ZN staining of FNA sample and mycobacterium tuberculosis (M.tb) PCR confirmed the diagnosis with incomplete resistance to isoniazid. Patient was treated with other three first line anti-tuberculosis medications for nine months with an excellent outcome. Prednisolone was also used as adjunctive therapy and tapered during the course of treatment.

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