Leprosy-specific oral lesions: a report of three cases.
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.
Motta
Ana Carolina F
AC
Department of Morphology, Stomatology and Physiology, Dental School of Ribeirão Preto, Brazil.
Komesu
Marilena C
MC
Silva
Claudia Helena Lovato
CH
Arruda
Darlene
D
Simão
João Carlos Lopes
JC
Zenha
Erika Muller Ramalho
EM
Furini
Renata Bazan
RB
Foss
Norma T
NT
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