Background and aim: Leprosy (Hansen's disease) is a chronic granulomatous infection by Mycobacterium leprae, an acid-fast rod-shaped bacillus, predominantly affecting skin and peripheral nerves. The clinical and pathological manifestations are variable, depending on the immune status of the individual. It could lead to disabilities in a small proportion of patients in the absence of proper treatment. India has eliminated Leprosy as a public health problem, defined as less than 1 case per 10,000 people, at the national level in January 2006. However, cases are still being reported from different regions in varying prevalence. The present study was undertaken to study the clinicopathological spectrum of Leprosy and correlate it with the Bacillary Index (BI).
Material and methods: This study was conducted in a tertiary care center teaching hospital. It was a retrospective and prospective study from January 2018 to July 2022 (four and a half years). Fifty skin biopsies of clinically suspicious cases received in our histopathology department were processed and stained with Hematoxylin, and Eosin (H & E) and Fite-Faraco stain. The cases were subtyped based on the findings and correlated with clinical diagnosis.
Results: The cases ranged from 11 to 73 years of age, with male predominance. The most common subtype was Borderline Tuberculoid (BT) (32%), followed by Borderline Lepromatous (BL) (20%). The maximum clinicopathological correlation was observed in Lepromatous Leprosy.
Conclusions: Accurate and timely diagnosis of Leprosy can be achieved through histopathological examination and clinical correlation.
}, year = {2024}, journal = {International Journal of Scientific Research in Dental and Medical Sciences}, pages = {1-5}, url = {https://www.ijsrdms.com/article_198128_eb8916bb992e2989419ccc77712b22db.pdf}, language = {ENG}, }