Palatal perforation in a patient with borderline lepromatous leprosy: leprosy still not eradicated.

Leprosy was eliminated globally in 2000, but it continues to be endemic in developing countries like India, Brazil and Indonesia, with a prevalence of 0.57/10 000 persons in India (2020). At the end of the year 2020, the prevalence was 129 389, and oral manifestation of the leprosy is luncommon. We hereby report a case of a female patient in her late 30s who presented with palatal perforation. Following a thorough history taking and full body clinical examination, we arrived at a diagnosis of leprosy, and prompt treatment was initiated. Knowledge of cases like this becomes important as the oral lesion is said to form an essential source of leprosy dissemination in the community, and awareness about them becomes crucial, demanding immediate attention.

Leprosy - an overview of clinical features, diagnosis, and treatment.

Leprosy is a chronic infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium (M.) leprae. Worldwide, 210,758 new cases were diagnosed in 2015. The highest incidence is found in India, Brazil, and Indonesia. While the exact route of transmission remains unknown, nasal droplet infection is thought to be most likely. The pathogen primarily affects the skin and peripheral nervous system. The disease course is determined by individual host immunity. Clinically, multibacillary lepromatous variants are distinguished from paucibacillary tuberculoid forms. Apart from the various characteristic skin lesions, the condition is marked by damage to the peripheral nervous system. Advanced disease is characterized by disfiguring mutilations. Current treatment options are based on WHO recommendations. Early treatment frequently results in complete remission without sequelae. While paucibacillary forms are treated with rifampicin and dapsone for at least six months, multibacillary leprosy is treated for at least twelve months, additionally requiring clofazimine. Leprosy reactions during therapy may considerably aggravate the disease course. Besides individual treatment, WHO-supported preventive measures and strategies play a key role in endemic areas.

Sociodemographic and epidemiological profile of leprosy patients in an endemic region in Brazil

Abstract: INTRODUCTION: The incidence of Hansen's disease is high in overlooked populations. METHODS: Data of Hansen's disease cases reported in the information system of the Department of Informatics, Brazilian Unified Health System, from 2013 to 2014 were analyzed. RESULTS: Among 434 studied cases of Hansen's disease, the female sex (52.5%), adult age (73.7%), low educational level (61.8%), and multibacillary form were associated with higher prevalence rates. CONCLUSIONS: Hansen's disease is more frequent among female adults with a low educational level, and the prevalence of multibacillary leprosy reflects disease detection at late stages.

A study of the prevalence of smear-positive leprosy cases in a tertiary care center in the post-elimination phase of leprosy.

BACKGROUND: India has declared leprosy to be eliminated in the country, according to the WHO criteria of attaining a prevalence of less than 1 in 10,000. However, smear-positive leprosy cases are frequently being encountered. METHODS: This is an 18-year retrospective study done in the Department of Dermatology and Venereology, Government Medical College, Trivandrum. Data were collected from the records of all cases in the study period, and the prevalence of smear-positive cases was determined in the post-elimination phase and this was compared to the pre-elimination phase. RESULTS: A total of 901 cases were analyzed, which comprised 538 cases in the pre- and 363 cases in the post-elimination phase. The male/female ratio in the pre and post phases was 2.61 : 1 and 2.45 : 1, respectively. Borderline tuberculoid accounted for the commonest type in both the pre and post phases comprising 45.54 and 50.69%, respectively. Type 2 lepra reactions were seen in 40.21% of the reaction cases in the post-elimination phase. The smear-positive cases in the post-elimination phase accounted for 34.99% compared to 14.68% in the pre-elimination phase. Lepromatous leprosy (LL) accounted for 67.71% of the smear-positive cases in the post phase compared to 67.08% in the pre phase. CONCLUSIONS: There was an increase of 20.30% of smear-positive cases in the post-elimination phase, which was statistically significant (P < 0.001), and the majority of them were LL (P < 0.001).

Estudio epidemiológico en los enfermos de Lepra residentes en el sanatorio de Fontilles (Alicante, España): La última leprosería de Europa / No disponible

La lepra es una enfermedad infecciosa crónica causada por M. leprae con un importante componente genético y socioambiental. Estudiamos factores ambientales, geográficos, hereditarios y de contagio que puedan favorecer el desarrollo de la enfermedad y valoramos su evolución en una población muy concreta que vivió una larga etapa desprovista de tratamiento efectivo. 30 españoles adultos, que fueron afectados por la lepra y que residen hoy en el Sanatorio de Fontilles, contestaron de forma voluntaria y anónima a un cuestionario epidemiológico que dio lugar a 70 variables. Se analizó la significación estadística de las variables. El 70% de los pacientes provienen de Andalucía y el 85% de un ambiente pobre. El 80% fueron afectados de lepra lepromatosa. 56,7% de los pacientes refieren un contacto cercano con un enfermo de lepra, en su mayoría de tipo intradomiciliario, con un tiempo medio de convivencia de 16 años. Ningún paciente tuvo un hijo afecto. 20 de 27 pacientes valorados físicamente presentan algún grado de discapacidad de manos y pies. El 74,1% no puede garantizar haber bebido siempre agua limpia. Es necesaria una mayor investigación de los factores etiopatogénicos implicados en la enfermedad para controlar así su transmisión y conseguir su erradicación a nivel mundial

Leprosy is an infectious disease caused by M. Leprae, which has an important influence of genetic and socialenvironmental factors. We study environmental, geographic, hereditary and transmission factors which could contribute to the development of the illness and we evaluate its course and consequences in a very specific population sample that suffered from leprosy without treatment. 30 Spanish adults affected by leprosy who live today in the Sanatorio Fontilles, answered voluntarily and anonymously an epidemiological survey which provided us with 70 variables. We analysed the statistical significance of the variables. 70% of the patients were born in Andalusia and 85% of them come from a poor socioeconomic background. 80% where affected by lepromatous leprosy. 56,7% of the patients declared a close contact with a leprosy patient. In general, the contact took place in the household, with an average of 16 years living in the same household. No patient had an affected child. 20 out of the 27 physically evaluated patients present certain degree of disability. 74,1% of the patients cannot guarantee having had always access to a clean source of water. Further investigation of the etiology factors involved in leprosy is necessary to achieve the control of transmission and world eradication

Household costs of leprosy reactions (ENL) in rural India.

BACKGROUND: Erythema nodosum leprosum (ENL) is a common immune-mediated complication of lepromatous (LL) and borderline lepromatous (BL) leprosy. Most patients experience chronic or multiple acute ENL over many years during an economically active period of their lives. Understanding the economic burden of ENL is essential to provide effective patient support, yet this area has not been investigated. METHODS: Ninety-one patients with LL or BL leprosy attending a leprosy hospital in Purulia district of West Bengal, India, were interviewed using a structured questionnaire. Cases (n = 53) were identified as those who had one or more episodes of ENL within the last 3 years. Controls (n = 38) had LL or BL leprosy but no history of ENL. Data were collected on household income, direct and indirect costs, and coping strategies. FINDINGS: The total household cost was Rs 1543 per month or 27.9% (IQR 13.2-52.6) of monthly household income for cases, and Rs 237 per month or 4.9% (IQR 1.7-13.4) of monthly household income for controls. Indirect costs accounted for 65% of total household costs for cases. Direct costs accounted for the remaining 35% of household costs, and resulted almost entirely from treatment-seeking in the private sector. Total household costs exceeded 40% of household income for 37.7% of cases (n = 20) and 2.6% of controls (n = 1) [1 USD = 59 INR]. INTERPRETATION: Households affected by ENL face significant economic burden and are at risk of being pushed further into poverty. Health policy should acknowledge the importance of private sector provision and the significant contribution to total household costs of lost productivity (indirect cost). Further work is needed to explore this area and identify solutions.

Clinical aspects of leprosy.

Leprosy is a chronic, infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae. It mainly affects the peripheral nervous system, skin, and certain other tissues such as the reticulo-endothelial system, bones and joints, mucous membranes, eyes, testes, muscles, and adrenals. Leprosy clinical presentation varies from few to widespread lesions. In most patients, early leprosy presents as macular and hypopigmented lesions. This initial clinical presentation is known as indeterminate leprosy and occurs in individuals who have not developed cell-mediated immunity against M. leprae yet. The number of lesions depends on the genetically determined cellular immunity of the patient. Individuals presenting a vigorous cellular immune response and limited humoral immune responses to M. leprae, usually present few skin lesions. Without treatment, those patients tend to evolve into the polar tuberculoid or borderline tuberculoid form of leprosy. Due to the inability to mount an effective cellular-mediated response to M. leprae and the consequent hematogenous spread of the bacilli, some patients may present with numerous and symmetrically distributed hypochromic lesions. Without treatment these patients evolve to a nonresistant form of leprosy, polar lepromatous.

In vitro and skin lesion cytokine profile in Brazilian patients with borderline tuberculoid and borderline lepromatous leprosy.

OBJECTIVE: We investigated the in vitro and skin lesions production of cytokines in non-treated borderline tuberculoid (BT) and borderline lepromatous (BL) patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Seven untreated, non-reactional BT patients and 12 untreated, non-reactional BL patients were studied. Levels of the cytokines IFN-gamma, IL-10, TGF-beta1 and TNF-alpha were measured in supernantant of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) cultures, stimulated with specific M. leprae antigen (sonicated and whole). The cytokines iNOS, IL-10 and TGF-beta1 were detected by immunohistochemistry in skin biopsies. RESULTS: BT patients produced higher levels of IFN-gamma than BL patients; iNOS expression in skin lesions was also higher in BT patients. TGF-beta1 was detected in more cells in BL patients; IL-10 expression was similar in both groups. There was a negative correlation between iNOS and TGF-beta1 expression in skin biopsies, positive correlation between TGF-beta1 in skin lesions and bacillary index, as well as positive correlation between iNOS detected in skin biopsies and PBMC IFN-gamma production. CONCLUSIONS: The BT patients had a mainly a Th1-profile of cytokines in their skin lesions and BL patients had a Th2 profile.