02658nas a2200229   4500000000100000008004100001653001400042653001200056653001300068653001900081653001700100653001600117653001700133100001300150700001300163700001100176700001500187245012100202856009700323300000800420520200000428       2023                            d10aGranuloma10aLeprosy10aClinical10aHistopathology10aBacteriology10aCorrelation10a Fite Faraco1 aChavda A1 aRathwa M1 aShah H1 a Chauhan J00aClinicobacteriological and Histopathological Correlation in  Leprosy in a Tertiary Care Centre: A Study of 220 cases  uhttps://www.ijl.org.in/published-articles/26062024081446/2_original_article_Chavda_et_al.pdf  a1-93 a<p>The burden of leprosy has reduced drastically with the use of multi-drug treatment. However, the goal of appropriate diagnosis for therapeutic purposes remains an important issue. A study of 220 newly diagnosed cases of leprosy was conducted using the Ridley-Jopling classification of leprosy. For histopathology routine Haematoxylin &amp; Eosin staining as well as a Fite-Faraco staining for acid-fast bacillus was done. The data regarding age, sex, clinical findings like type, number, morphology, site of lesion and neural involvement, histopathological features like an invasion of the epidermis, involvement of subepidermal zone, character and extent of granuloma, lymphocytic infiltrate, epithelioid cells, Langhans giant cells, foamy macrophages, involvement of arrector pilorum and presence of Mycobacterium leprae on Fite-Faraco stain and slit skin smears were collected and analysed. Out of these 220 clinically diagnosed cases of leprosy, borderline tuberculoid leprosy (37.27%) was the most common type followed by lepromatous leprosy (29.09%), borderline lepromatous leprosy (24.54.%), mid borderline (5%) and tuberculoid leprosy (4.09%). The overall correlation of clinical diagnosis with histopathology was seen in 79.55%, and the maximum concordance 88.89% was found in Borderline lepromatous leprosy patients. By Fite-Faraco staining 120 out of 220 showed AFB positivity. Overall clinical diagnosis correlated with histopathology was seen in 79.55% (175/220). Higher proportion of multibacillary (MB) cases was diagnosed by bacteriological and histopathological examination including Fite-Faraco staining. Hence, to arrive at a conclusive diagnosis and optimum treatment, it might be preferrable to consider multiple parameters like clinical features, bacillary index, and histopathological findings and use of special stains rather than relying on a single criterion. Any improved criteria should be based on therapeutic gains to be proved in proper follow-up studies.</p>