Your browser doesn't support javascript.
loading
Delayed Diagnosis, Leprosy Reactions, and Nerve Injury Among Individuals With Hansen's Disease Seen at a United States Clinic.
Leon, Kristoffer E; Jacob, Jesse T; Franco-Paredes, Carlos; Kozarsky, Phyllis E; Wu, Henry M; Fairley, Jessica K.
Afiliação
  • Leon KE; Emory University.
  • Jacob JT; Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine , Emory University School of Medicine.
  • Franco-Paredes C; Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital, Albany, Georgia; Hospital Infantil de Mexico, Federico Gomez.
  • Kozarsky PE; Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine , Emory University School of Medicine.
  • Wu HM; Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine , Emory University School of Medicine.
  • Fairley JK; Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine , Emory University School of Medicine.
Open Forum Infect Dis ; 3(2): ofw063, 2016 Mar.
Article em En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-27186586
Background. Hansen's disease (HD), or leprosy, is uncommon in the United States. We sought to describe the characteristics of patients with HD in a US clinic, including an assessment of delays in diagnosis and HD reactions, which have both been associated with nerve damage. Methods. A retrospective chart review was conducted on patients seen at an HD clinic in the southern United States between January 1, 2002 and January 31, 2014. Demographic and clinical characteristics were summarized, including delays in diagnosis, frequency of reactions, and other complications including peripheral neuropathy. Results. Thirty patients were seen during the study time period. The majority of patients were male (73%) and had multibacillary disease (70%). Brazil, Mexico, and the United States were the most frequent of the 14 countries of origin. Hansen's disease "reactions", severe inflammatory complications, were identified among 75% of patients, and nerve damage was present at diagnosis in 36% of patients. The median length of time between symptom onset and diagnosis was long at 12 months (range, 1-96), but no single factor was associated with a delay in diagnosis. Conclusions. The diagnosis of HD was frequently delayed among patients referred to our US clinic. The high frequency of reactions and neuropathy at diagnosis suggests that further efforts at timely diagnosis and management of this often unrecognized disease is needed to prevent the long-term sequelae associated with irreversible nerve damage.
Palavras-chave

Texto completo: 1 Coleções: 01-internacional Base de dados: MEDLINE Tipo de estudo: Diagnostic_studies / Prognostic_studies Idioma: En Revista: Open Forum Infect Dis Ano de publicação: 2016 Tipo de documento: Article

Texto completo: 1 Coleções: 01-internacional Base de dados: MEDLINE Tipo de estudo: Diagnostic_studies / Prognostic_studies Idioma: En Revista: Open Forum Infect Dis Ano de publicação: 2016 Tipo de documento: Article