title: Leprosy-specific oral lesions: a report of three cases.
abstract: Leprosy is a chronic infection caused by Mycobacterium leprae, a bacillus that presents a peculiar tropism for the skin and peripheral nerves. The clinical spectrum of leprosy ranges from the tuberculoid form (TT) to the disseminative and progressive lepromatous form (LL). Oral lesions are rare but, when present, occur in the lepromatous form. This article describes the clinical and microscopic findings of three cases of LL with oral manifestations. All patients had the lepromatous form and their leprosy-specific oral lesions occurred in the palate. The diagnosis was based on clinical, serological and histopathological findings, and multidrug therapy for multibacillary leprosy was started and continued for 24 months. All patients completed treatment, but developed reaction episodes which were treated with prednisone and/or thalidomide. The authors emphasize the importance of oral mucosa evaluation by a dental health professional during patient care since oral lesions may act as a source of infection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Morphology, Stomatology and Physiology, Dental School of Ribeirão Preto, Brazil.
authors.forename: Ana Carolina F
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Motta
authors.forename: Marilena C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Komesu
authors.forename: Claudia Helena Lovato
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.forename: Darlene
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Arruda
authors.forename: João Carlos Lopes
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Simão
authors.forename: Erika Muller Ramalho
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Zenha
authors.forename: Renata Bazan
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Furini
authors.forename: Norma T
authors.initials: NT
authors.lastname: Foss
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D006801:Humans; D015440:Leprosy, Lepromatous / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009059:Mouth Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology*; D010160:Palate, Soft