Case Report: Borderline Lepromatous Leprosy Therapy Complicated by Type 1 Leprosy Reaction and Adverse Reactions with Dapsone and Clofazimine.

Leprosy is a global health issue, causing long-term functional morbidity and stigma. Rapid diagnosis and appropriate treatment are important; however, early diagnosis is often challenging, especially in nonendemic areas. Here, we report a case of borderline lepromatous leprosy accompanied by dapsone-induced (neutropenia, anemia, and methemoglobinemia) and clofazimine-induced (skin discoloration and ichthyosis) side effects and type 1 leprosy reactions during administration of the multidrug therapy. The patient completely recovered without developing any deformities or visual impairment. To ensure early diagnosis and a favorable outcome, clinicians should be aware of the diminished sensation of skin lesions as a key physical finding and manage the drug toxicities and leprosy reactions appropriately in patients on multidrug therapy.

Lepra infantil. Presentación de tres casos / No disponible

La lepra en la infancia cursa con una diversidad de manifestaciones clínicas e histopatológicas que hacen necesario un minucioso examen cutáneo en todo niño, que presente lesiones dermatológicas sugestivas y una fuente infecciosa sospechosa. Para un oportuno diagnóstico es indispensable que el medico tenga siempre presente la enfermedad, así como la destreza al realizar el examen clínico, ya que muchas lesiones cutáneas suelen ser asintomáticas y con frecuencia simulan otros cuadros dermatológicos. El rango de edad en el cual la población infantil se encuentra más afectada está dentro de los 10 y 15 años. En la infancia la lepra refleja características clínicas del adulto, guardando ciertas particularidades; las formas paucibacilar son más comunes entre los dos y nueve años y las formas multibacilares entre los 10 a 14 años. En Cuba han sido reportados desde agosto de 1989 hasta diciembre 2016 un total de 135 casos de Lepra en pacientes en edad pediátrica de los cuales 44 (32,6 %), han sido atendidos en el Hospital Pediátrico Docente Juan Manuel Márquez. OBJETIVO: presentación clínica de tres casos de lepra infantil con formas clínicas diferentes. CONCLUSIONES: La lepra en la infancia cursa con una diversidad de manifestaciones clínicas e histopatológicas, que hacen necesario un minucioso examen cutáneo en todo nino, que presente lesiones dermatológicas sugestivas y una fuente infecciosa sospechosa. El mayor énfasis en la detección y vigilancia temprana de esta enfermedad se debe a que alguno de los niños que recientemente han sido diagnosticados ya mostraban signos de discapacidad

Leprosy in childhood presents a variety of clinical and histopathological manifestations that require a thorough skin examination in every child, presenting suggestive dermatological lesions and a suspicious infectious source. For a timely diagnosis it is essential that the doctor always keeps in mind the disease, as well as the knowledge for performing the clinical examination, since many skin lesions are usually asymptomatic and often simulate other dermatological conditions. The age range in which children are most affected is most affected is within 10 and 15 years. In childhood, leprosy reflects the clinical characteristics of the adult, keeping certain peculiarities; paucibacillary forms are more common between two and nine years old and multibacillary forms between 10 and 14 years old. In Cuba, a total of 135 cases of leprosy have been reported from August 1989 to December 2016 in pediatric patients, of which 44 (32.6%) have been treated at the Juan Manuel Marquez Teaching Pediatric Hospital. OBJECTIVE: clinical presentation of three cases of childhood leprosy with different clinical forms. CONCLUSIONS: Childhood leprosy has a variety of clinical and histopathological manifestations, which require a thorough skin examination in every child, presenting suggestive dermatological lesions and a suspicious infectious source. The greatest emphasis on the detection and early surveillance of this disease is due to the fact that some of the children who have recently been diagnosed already showed signs of disability

Erythroderma as a manifestation of leprosy

Abstract: Erythroderma consists of erythema and scaling involving most or all of the body surface. This generalized eruption may be idiopathic, drug-induced or secondary to cutaneous or systemic disease. A 71-year-old man is reported presenting generalized erythema and desquamation with deck-chair sign, nail dystrophy, and plantar ulcers associated with loss of local tactile sensitivity. Biopsies from three different sites demonstrated diffuse lymphocytic infiltrate with incipient granulomas. Fite-Faraco staining showed numerous isolated bacilli and globi. The skin smear was positive. Clinical and pathological diagnosis of borderline lepromatous leprosy was confirmed. This report demonstrates that chronic multibacillary leprosy can manifest as erythroderma and thus should be included in the differential diagnosis.

Diagnóstico tardío de lepra dimorfa. Presentación de un caso / No disponible

La lepra se considera una enfermedad granulomatosa, de evolución crónica, infecciosa, poco contagiosa, que afecta fundamentalmente piel y nervios periféricos, aunque puede afectar otras estructuras. La población masculina se ve afectada en mayor proporción que la población femenina a pesar de que la misma no distingue su aparición por sexo. Es una enfermedad que presenta manifestaciones clínicas muy variadas y que dependen de las respuestas inmunológicas del huésped y de su base genética. El diagnóstico temprano, realizado en el primer año de la aparición de los síntomas de la enfermedad, reviste la mayor importancia para el control de la misma. El presente artículo describe un caso de lepra dimorfa en un paciente de 38 años de edad, profesor de una escuela primaria rural con lesiones en cara y abdomen de más de dos años de evolución, constituyendo un diagnostico tardío de la enfermedad

Leprosy is considered a granulomatous disease, chronic, infectious, little contagious, affecting mainly skin and peripheral nerves, although it can affect other structures. The male population is affected in greater quantity than the female population. The disease presents varied clinical manifestations that depend on the immunological responses of the host and its genetic base. The early diagnosis, made in the first year of the appearance of the symptoms of the disease, is of great importance for its control. This article describes a case of dimorphic leprosy in a patient of 38 years of age, a teacher of a rural primary school with lesions on the face and abdomen of more than two years of evolution, constituting a late diagnosis of the disease

Casos inusuales de lepra en la provincial de Camagüey, Cuba, 2015 / No disponible

La lepra es una enfermedad común y aunque ya no constituye un problema de salud en el país ni en la provincia, sí se notifican casos todos los años. Este año notificamos casos con características clínicas inusuales, pues la lepra de Lucio es una forma de lepra lepromatosa que se observa fundamentalmente en México, siendo excepcional su presentación en nuestro medio. Es la denominada lepra difusa o moteada, no tiene nódulos sino que se caracteriza por presentar zonas de vasculitis múltiples en la que se produce necrosis dermoepidérmica y la aparición de úlceras planas que se unen entre sí y curan dejando cicatriz. Se caracteriza por presentar una infiltración difusa generalizada de la piel. Además, se presentó un segundo caso con lepra tuberculoide de lesión única, con engrosamiento de nervios cubitales de 10 años de evolución, sin tratamiento y sin ningún tipo de discapacidad. El tercer caso se presentó con manifestaciones clínicas muy floridas de una lepra dimorfa sin anestesia táctil, térmica ni dolorosa con un año de evolución sin tratamiento

Leprosy is a common illness in our area and although it no longer represents a public health problem in the state or at country level new cases are notified every year. This year we have diagnosed cases with unusual clinical characteristics, one with Lucio’s Leprosy is a form of lepromatous leprosy that is observed fundamentally in Mexico and unusual in our area. It is also defined as diffuse or spotted leprosy and the patient doesn’t have nodules but presents areas of multiple vasculitis in which dermoepidermal necrosis together with the appearance of plane ulcers that unite takes place and it cures leaving a scar. This type of leprosy is mainly characterized by a disseminated diffuse infiltration of the skin. We also had a second case with single lesion tuberculoid leprosy, presenting affectation of the ulnar nerve, without treatment, no visible deformities and diagnosed 10 years ago of the disease. And a third case with very florid clinical manifestations of dimorphous leprosy without tactile, thermal nor pain anesthesia with a year of evolution and without treatment is also presented

Leprosy type-I reaction episode mimicking facial cellulitis-the importance of early diagnosis

Leprosy is aneasily recognizable disease due to its dermato-neurological manifestations. It must be present in the physician’s diagnostic repertoire, especially for those working in endemic areas. However, leprosy reaction is not always easily recognized by non-dermatologists, becoming one of the major problems in the management of patients with leprosy, as it presents clinical complications characterized by inflammatory process, accompanied by pain, malaise and sometimes the establishment or worsening of the patient’s disabilities. We report the case of a patient with type-1 periorbital reaction admitted to the hospital, diagnosed and treated as facial cellulitis, whose late diagnosis may have contributed to the appearance or worsening of facial neuritis.

Estado reaccional leprótico en una paciente con osteosarcoma de tobillo / No disponible

La lepra es una enfermedad infecciosa, poco transmisible, de evolución crónica, causada por el Mycobacterium leprae, que se caracteriza por afectar la piel, los nervios periféricos, la mucosa de las vías respiratorias superiores además de otras estructuras. Se ha subestimado su prevalencia y permanece siendo un problema de salud pública, detectándose aún nuevos casos cada año. Después de la introducción de la multiterapia MDT tanto prevalencia como incidencia han disminuido. En la actual investigación se hace la presentación de un caso clínico, paciente femenina, de 49 años, con diagnóstico de Lepra Dimorfa, que tiene antecedentes de haber sido amputada hace tres años de miembro inferior izquierdo por osteosarcoma de tobillo

Leprosy is an infectious disease with a chronic evolution and its etiological agent is Mycobacterium leprae. The disease affects skin, peripheral nerves, upper respiratory tract and other structures. Its prevalence has been underestimated and continues to be a public health problem in many countries. After the introduction of MDT, both prevalence and incidence declined. This study is a presentation of a clinical case of a 49 year old woman diagnosed of dimorphic leprosy and a history of amputation three years earlier due to osteosarcoma of the ankle

Lepra. Reporte de caso / Leprosy. A case report

La lepra es una enfermedad infecto-contagiosa de evolución crónica que ataca con predilección la piel y los nervios periféricos. Sus diversas manifestaciones clínicas e histopatológicas dependen de la reacción huésped-parásito, es decir, de los procesos alergoinmunitarios que determinan la resistencia del enfermo a la agresión bacilar. Se presenta un caso de Lepra dimorfa o borderline con el objetivo de alertar a los especialistas sobre su existencia y la importancia de realizar un diagnóstico temprano lo que evitará las complicaciones y discapacidades de los pacientes afectados (AU)

Leprosy is an infectious transmitted disease of chronic evolution which attacks mostly the skin and the peripheral nerves. Its diverse clinical and histopathological manifestations depend on the reaction host-parasite, that is to say, they depend on the allergo-immunology processes which determine the resistance of the patient to the Mycobacterium Leprae aggression. It is presented a case of Leprosy, Borderline with the aim of alerting the specialists about its existence and the importance of realizing an early diagnosis which will avoid the complications and disabilities of the affected patients (AU)

Hanseníase dimorfa com acometimento articular: dificuldades no diagnóstico / Borderline leprosy with articular involvement: diagnostic difficulties

A hanseníase é doença infecciosa granulomatosa crônica causada pelo Mycobacterium leprae, um bacilo ácido-resistente com a sua predileção para afetar as áreas mais frias do corpo, como pele e nervos periféricos,o que torna o diagnóstico simples na maioria dos casos 1,2. No entanto, com base na resposta imune do paciente infectado, o envolvimento sistêmico pode ocorrer,principalmente nas formas multibacilares. Estes eventos são pouco encontrados, mas têm extrema relevância clínica devido à sua semelhança com doenças reumáticas 5, 6. Relata-se um caso de hanseníase confundida com artrite inespecífica em que o paciente apresentou inicialmente artralgia, edema das articulações, poliartrite e,finalmente, o aparecimento de lesões na pele. Em áreas endêmicas, os clínicos e reumatologistas deve sempre estar atentos sobre a hanseníase com essas manifestações iniciais.

Leprosy is a chronic caused by Mycobacterium leprae, an acid-fast bacillus with its predilection to affect the cooler areas of the body such as skin and peripheral nerves, which makes diagnosis simpler in most cases 1.2 granulomatous infectious disease . However, based on the immune response of the infected patient, systemic involvement may occur, characterized Multibacillary manner. These events are rarely found, but have extremelyclinical relevance because of its similarity with rheumatic diseases 5, 6. Report a case of leprosy confused with nonspecific arthritis in a patient who initially presented with joint pain, joint swelling, polyarthritis, and finally the appearance of skin lesions.

Use of the polymerase chain reaction to detect Mycobacterium leprae in urine

Leprosy is an infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae. The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) has been applied to detect M. leprae in different clinical samples and urine seems to be attractive for this purpose. PCR was used to improve the sensitivity for diagnosing leprosy by amplifying a 151-bp PCR fragment of the M. leprae pra gene (PCR-Pra) in urine samples. Seventy-three leprosy patients (39 males and 34 females, 14 to 78 years old) were selected for leprosy diagnosis at a reference laboratory in Maringá, PR, Brazil. Of these, 36 were under anti-leprosy multidrug therapy with dapsone and rifampicin for tuberculoid (TT) and dapsone, rifampicin and clofazimine for borderline (BB) and lepromatous (LL) forms. The control group contained 50 healthy individuals without any clinical history of leprosy. DNA isolated from leprosy patients’ urine samples was successfully amplified by PCR-Pra in 46.6 percent (34/73) of the cases. The positivity of PCR-Pra for patients with the TT form was 75 percent for both patients under treatment and non-treated patients (P = 0.1306). In patients with the LL form, PCR-Pra positivity was 52 and 30 percent for patients under treatment and non-treated patients, respectively (P = 0.2386). PCR-Pra showed a statistically significant difference in detecting M. leprae between the TT and LL forms of leprosy in patients under treatment (P = 0.0033). Although the current study showed that the proposed PCR-Pra has some limitations in the detection of M. leprae, this method has the potential to be a useful tool for leprosy diagnosis mainly in TT leprosy where the AFB slit-skin smear is always negative.

Hanseníase dimorfa reacional em criança / Reactional borderline leprosy in childhood

Uma criança de 3 anos de idade recebeu o diagnóstico clínico de hanseníase multibacilar e iniciou poliquimioterapia, evoluindo após 2 meses com placas eritêmato-violáceas, foveolares, disseminadas. Sua mãe foi diagnosticada com hanseníase na faixa virchoviana há 1 ano e nesta ocasião a criança recebeu vacina BCG. A reavaliação clínica e os exames complementares da criança confirmaram hanseníase dimorfa com reação reversa,com baciloscopia de 3+, com bacilos granulosos. Este caso mostra algumas peculiaridades, como a presença de hanseníase multibacilar nesta faixa etária, fato incomum, devido ao longo período de incubação da doença; bem como demonstra que a vacina BCG não modificou a evolução natural da doença, pois a criança já apresentava a doença em fase avançada. Os autores discutem alguns aspectos da hanseníase na infância,como a epidemiologia, fatores de risco, recursos diagnóstico se reforçam a importância da avaliação e do diagnóstico precoce de crianças contactantes de portadores de hanseníase, assim como do acompanhamento regular e de medidas de prevenção de incapacidades.

A three-year-old child has received a clinical diagnosticof multibacillary leprosy and has initiated polichemotherapy,developing erythematous infiltrated plaques,with foveolar aspect, disseminated after two months.The child’s mother had received a lepromatous leprosydiagnostic a year ago and in that occasion the child receivedthe BCG vaccine. The clinical reevaluation andthe complementary exams from the child confirmedthe diagnosis of borderline leprosy with reverse reaction,bacilloscopy 3+, and granular bacilli. This caseshows some peculiarities, such as the presence of multibacillaryleprosy in this age range, an uncommon factdue to the long period of incubation of the disease, aswell as demonstrating that the BCG vaccine has notmodified the natural evolution of the disease, as thechild presented the disease in an already advancedstage. The authors discuss some aspects of the leprosyin children, e.g. epidemiology, risk factors and diagnosisresources, and reinforce the importance of an early diagnosticin children who have contact with leprosy carriers,as well as the regular management and incapacityprevention measures.

O uso da sorologia como ferramenta adicional no apoio ao diagnóstico de casos difíceis de hanseníase multibacilar: lições de uma unidade de referência / The use of serology as an additional tool to support diagnosis of difficult multibacillary leprosy cases: lessons from clinical care

Sete casos de hanseníase multibacilar (MB) e dois casos com suspeição de hanseníase atendidos em situações distintas do atendimento clínico-dermatológico na Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro são descritos. Todos apresentaram dificuldades no diagnóstico visto que não tinham sinais e sintomas cardinais da hanseníase. Um teste sorológico utilizado como ferramenta auxiliar foi útil no processo de diagnóstico ou exclusão de cada caso e facilitou as discussões acadêmicas na hora do exame clínico. A sorologia e baciloscopia de linfa são consideradas como os únicos instrumentos rápidos e de baixo custo para a confirmação de casos MB atípicos, e as vantagens e desvantagens de cada exame são discutidas. Ambos os testes complementam o processo diagnóstico e classificação dos casos para fins terapêuticos. A vantagem da baciloscopia está na sua capacidade de confirmação do diagnóstico. As vantagens da sorologia são: (a) sua aplicabilidade para uso direto por profissionais de saúde no momento da consulta, visto que os resultados são imediatos, (b) a possibilidade da participação dos pacientes no processo, e (c) oferece uma oportunidade para melhor ensino da patogênese da hanseníase.

Seven multibacillary leprosy and two suspected cases assisted in different situations during clinical care activities at the university in Rio de Janeiro city are described. All cases presented some difficulties for diagnosis, since they evolved with few or no cardinal signs or symptoms of leprosy. A serological test used as an auxiliary tool was helpful in the diagnosis or exclusion procedure of each case, facilitating academic discussions at the time of case examination. Considering serology and bacilloscopy (skin smear) as the only rapid and relatively cheap available tests for confirmation of atypical MB leprosy, the advantages and disadvantages of their use were discussed. Both tests support the diagnostic procedure and the classification of cases for treatment purposes. The advantage of bacilloscopy is its capacity for diagnosis confirmation. The advantages of serology are: (a) its applicability for direct use by health workers, providing immediate results; (b) the potential for patient participation in the process; and (c) it provides a learning opportunity, allowing for improved teaching of leprosy pathogenesis.

Hanseníase multibacilar com baciloscopia dos esfregaços negativa: a importância de se avaliar todos os critérios antes de se definir a forma clínica / Multibacillary leprosy with the smear negative smears: the importance of evaluating all the criteria before to define the clinical form

Homem de 36 anos de idade, procedente de Bauru-SP, refere que há 4 meses apresenta bolhas periungueais em mão esquerda associadas à perda de sensibilidade local;evolui com reabsorção parcial e progressiva de todas as falanges distais desta mão. Procurou serviço médico por várias vezes, sendo prescritos apenas antibióticos para as infecções nas falanges. Ao exame físico, reabsorção de falanges distais em mão esquerda, ausência alterações motoras de origem neural, presença de múltiplasmáculas e placas hipocrômicas em nádegas e membros superiores e inferiores, além de discreta perda de sensibilidade em ambos os pés. As duas primeiras biópsias em duas máculas mostraram quadro compatível com hanseníase indeterminada, com baciloscopia da biópsia negativa, e uma terceira revelou hanseníase na faixa tuberculóide com baciloscopia 1+. As baciloscopias de pontos índices e das lesões foram todas negativas.A reação de Mitsuda foi de 3,5mm, e o Teste Ml-Flowmostrou positividade 3+. O quadro neurológico era deu ma neuropatia sensitiva do membro superior esquerdo,e o estudo neurofisiológico evidenciou uma mononeuropatia múltipla sensitiva e motora do membro superior esquerdo com comprometimento dos nervos ulnar e mediano. O ramo dorsal do nervo ulnar foi submetido à biópsia que demonstrou quadro histológico inflamatório não granulomatoso, mas com baciloscopia 4+ com muitos bacilos típicos. Discute-se a importância de se avaliar todos os critérios antes de se definir a forma clínica de uma doença sistêmica como a hanseníase

Recidiva de lepra indeterminada / Indeterminate leprosu relapse

Presentamos una paciente de 61 años de edad con el diagnóstico de lepra indeterminada tras recibir tratamiento poliquimoterápico (..) (AU)

A 61 year old patient with indeterminate leprosy is reported. After 12 months of multidrug (..) (AU)

Intermediate or Borderline forms (BT, BB, and BL)

Leprosy is a long-term spectrum disease and can present various clinical and histopathological aspects. Between the two poles of leprosy, there is a wide range of types, consisting of intermediate or borderline forms. In this chapter, the clinical, histopathological, and bacilloscopic characteristics of the intermediate forms (borderlibe-tuberculoid [BT], borderline-borderline [BB], and borderline lepromatous [BL]) are presented and discussed. The main clinical and pathological characteristics that allow the diagnosis and classification of leprosy among the different borderline forms are described and illustrated in panel form, as well as their most significant clinical and histopathological differential diagnoses are also discussed. The clinical-pathological classification of this disease has important implications in the choice of the correct treatment, the understanding of the pathophysiology, and the development of the reaction phenomena typical of leprosy,.

Hanseniase: episodio reacional tuberculoide desencadeado preconcemente apos instalaçao de poliquimioterapia, em individuo inicialmente diagnosticado como multibacilar / Leprosy: tuberculoid reactional episode developed early after multidrugtherapy was initiated in patient initially diagnosed as multibacillary

Um homem de cor parda, 66 anos de idade, refere ha 10 anos disturbio de sensibilidade na regiao dorsal do halux direito, e ha 6 meses placa eritematosa no braço direito co diagnostico histopatologico de hanseniase multibacilar. Quinze dias apos instalaçao de poliquimioterapia, a lesao inicial se tumefaz, ulcera e aparecem novas lesoes eritemato-edematosas disserminadas na pele. A biopsia de uma dessas novas lesoes demonstra hanseniase reacionla na faixatuberculoide com baciloscopia de 3+/6. O aparecimento da lesao inicial coincidiu com diagnostico recente de diabetes mellitus, e durante o episodio reacional o paciente apresentou mal-estado geral, febre e leve ictiricia Os autores discutem a patogenese destes eventos, surgerindo uma fase previa de degradaçao (downgrading) devido a progressiva proliferaçao bacilar, com consequente inibiçao da imunidade celular pela açao dos antigenos capsulares produzidos pela fraçao de bacilos integros e viaveis...

Percepción de la lepra y las discapacidades antes del diagnóstico en Recife, Brasil / Perceptions regarding leprosy and resulting handicaps prior to diagnosis in Recife, Brazil

Este artículo presenta un estudio de casos y controles realizado en Recife, Brasil, entre noviembre de 1993 y julio de 1994. En él se investigó cómo influyen la percepción y las apreciaciones de los propios pacientes de lepra en el proceso de manejar la enfermedad y en la utilización de los servicios de salud. La muestra estuvo constituida por 183 pacientes de 20 a 70 años de edad, residentes en Recife, que acudieron en busca de un diagnóstico a los servicios de dermatología sanitaria de dos centros de referencia de las regiones politicoadministrativas tercera, cuarta y sexta. Se clasificaron como casos los 64 pacientes que tenían discapacidades o lesiones precursoras de discapacidad; los 119 restantes se consideraron controles. Todos fueron diagnosticados durante el período de la investigación. En el análisis se ajustó según sexo, edad, escolaridad y antecedentes de la enfermedad de Hansen de los pacientes. El estudio reveló la coexistencia de dos tipos de "invisibilidad" de la enfermedad en una zona endémica en expansión: 1) para los pacientes de ambos grupos, la baja frecuencia de modelos explicativos, espontáneos, relacionados con la dolencia, aun en presencia de antecedentes de la enfermedad, y 2) para los profesionales sanitarios, las limitaciones de la detección. Puesto que afectan a las decisiones relacionadas con el manejo individual y colectivo de la enfermedad, esas deficiencias constituyen por sí mismas un factor de riesgo y representan un obstáculo para la eliminación de la lepra como problema de salud pública.

This article reports on a case-control study conducted in Recife, Brazil, between November 1993 and July 1994, to determine how leprosy patients' perceptions and notions influence disease management and use of health services. The sample was composed of 183 residents of Recife between the ages of 20 and 70 years who sought diagnostic services in the dermatology clinics of two referral centers situated in the third, fourth, and sixth political and administrative regions. Sixty-four patients having handicaps or their precursor lesions were classified as cases; the remaining 119 were used as controls. All were diagnosed during the study period. For the analysis, adjustments were made for sex, age, schooling, and a previous history of Hansen's disease among patients. The study revealed the simultaneous presence of two types of "invisibility" of the disease in an area where endemicity is increasing: 1) for patients in both groups, the low frequency of spontaneous explanatory models related to the illness, even in the presence of disease, and 2) for health professionals, the limitations of detection methods. Since such deficiencies affect decisions bearing on individual and collective disease management, they are a risk factor in and of themselves and stand in the way of eliminating leprosy as a public health problem.

Reaçao do tipo pseudo-exacerbaçao e carcinoma bronquiolar dos pulmoes / Pseudoexacerbation reaction and bronchiolar carcinoma

Um paciente, portador de infecçao hansenica ha 20 anos, e considerado como virchowiano inativo, apresentou nos ultimos 4 anos de vida, dois surtos de reaçao de pseudo-exacerbaçao ( reaçao reversa), o ultimo deles coincidindo com internaçao onde foi diagnosticado um carcinoma bronquiolar dos pulmoes, cujo agravamento ocasionou o obito. Discutem-se as dificuldades do diagnostico clinico diferencial deste tipo de carcinoma pulmonar com outras patologias com caracteristicas clinicas e evolutivas semelhantes, bem como a dificuldade de se chegar a este diagnostico apenas pela analise de uma biopsia pulmonar. Em relaçao as reaçoes de pseudo-exacerbaçao, duas interpretacoes sao postas em confronto, e e salientada a hipotese destas reaçoes se desenvolverem como resposta a surtos de proliferaçao bacilar que poderm ocorrer em pacientes dimorfos em qualquer fase da evoluçao da infecçao, devido a tratamento inadequado ou resistencia medicamentosa...

The indeterminate group of hanseniasis and its basisc connotation: the polar concept. An evaluation and a refutation of the so-called spectral approach

The clinical, epidemiological and immunological importance group I has been consistently ignored by English speaking authors like turk and Ridley & Jopling, whose publications underestimate these inaugural, undifferentiated forms - ther true matrix of the endemy. The subtle use of the ambiguous word indeterminate - instead of the clear cut undifferentiated, leads to the disregarding of a zone of instability between the groups and the polar types of the disease. It happens that it is this very zone of instability that includes a wide range of pre granulomatous lesions - exactly the undifferentiated forms together with a small rim of unstable granulomatous forms: B and TR. In this paper it is demonstrated that the wide range of this endemic undifferentiated matrix, amounting to 50 - 60 por cento of all cases of hanseniasis, constitutes a precious tool of epidemiological investigation, constrasting with the comparatively small number of unstable forms at he granulous level (B and TR).

Lepra dimorfa (Borderline). Sua classificação

Os AA. consideram a posição da lepra dimorfa ("borderline") na classificação, baseados em 28 casos e nos seguintes elementos: características clínicas, bacterioscopia, histologia, prova lepromínica, freqüência e origem. Julgam que a lepra dimorfa é apenas uma fase de transição, que raramente ocorre no curso da moléstia ou por influência da terapêutica. Em alguns doentes, comporta-se de modo semelhante à lepra tuberculóide em reação, regredindo após alguns meses de tratamento, enquento em outros, exige até 3 ou 4 anos para sua evolução. Como a lepra evolui em "câmara lenta", esta fase persiste por tempo maior ou menor, mas constituiria apenas um fato de passagem entre uma forma e outra. Sendo assim e pela sua raridade, pensam que o grupo dimorfo deve ser exclu¡do da classificação; está, além de ser científica, deve possuir também cunho prático, abrangendo, de preferência, as formas comuns da molèstia e nâo raras ou os aspectos transicionais. Os AA. aguardam a oportunidade de ampliar o material e, inclusive, obter ou apreciar os resultados de exames sorológicos e bioqu¡micos, para confirmar ou modificar a presente opinião.