Ocular leprosy in Papua New Guinea.
The eyes may be damaged in leprosy by three pathological processes; by direct bacillary invasion, secondary to the involvement of the Vth and VIIth cranial nerves leading to corneal anaesthesia and lagophthalmos respectively, and by sensitization to Mycobacterial antigen or immune complexes during type II reactions. The prevalance of ocular leprosy varies widely throughout the world, depending on a number of factors, including the type of disease which is most prevalent, the duration of the disease, the ophthalmological facilities available, and possibly the race of the patient. Shields et al, have reported prevalence rates of ocular leprosy varying from 6% to 90% in different series. In Port Moresby, Dethlefs found a prevalence of 12% of potentially sight threatening lesions in a small group of leprosy patients: in his series however, little detail was paid to the leprosy aspects of the patients. A study was therefore undertaken of ocular lesions in leprosy patients paying particular attention to type, duration and activity of the disease.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005128:Eye Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007918:Leprosy / Q000150:complications*; D008297:Male; D009512:New Guinea