[Lupus vulgaris (tuberculosis cutis luposa). Clinical aspects and therapy past and present]

Abstract

In the developed industrial countries, the frequency of tuberculotic diseases of the skin including lupus has decreased to a very low level because of the significant decline of morbidity and mortality, the elimination of Bovine infections, the introduction of BCG vaccination, as well as effective anti-tuberculotic drugs employed for about 30 years. In spite of the very favorable therapeutic results, we have to reckon with the continuance of the present lupus incidence as long as the number of tuberculotic affections in the world is about 20 million, and even in developed industrial countries, the yearly rate of tuberculotic patients amounts to 43 in 100,000 inhabitants. We know that the disease still occurs very frequently in the developing countries of the Far East.