title: [Leprosy and the testis].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Damage of testicles is frequent in lepromatous leprosy and worsened by the presence of erythema nodosum leprosum. Objective. A patient is presented who developed lepromatous leprosy and erythema nodosum leprosum with major testicular compromise.
  
  
  METHODS
  The 28-year-old male patient had lepromatous leprosy since age 22. During a polychemotherapy treatment for the lepromatous leprosy, he presented chronic erythema nodosum leprosum that affected both testicles; he did not respond to the conventional treatment. A left orchidectomy was performed to treat the persistent pain.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The extracted testis evidenced the following: tubular atrophy, extensive fibrosis, cumulus of foamy macrophages without rods, focal Leydig cell hyperplasia, linfocitary and granulomatous arteritis and endarteritis of small and medium size vessels. These changes were also observed in the epididymis. Two years after the polychemoterapy and the orchidectomy, the patient exhibited azoospermy, normal total testosterone, slightly diminished free testosterone and elevated levels of luteinizing hormone and follicle-stimulating hormone. No loss of libido or sexual activity was reported. General concepts of erythema nodosum leprosum were reviewed, as well as the pathologic changes produced by leprosy in the testis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Lepromatous leprosy may lead to hypogonadism. This condition is recommended for inclusion in leprosy diagnostic programs in order to detect and treat the consequences of the possible hypogonadism.
authors.affiliation: Grupo de Microbiología Molecular, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de La Sabana, Chía, Colombia. gerzainrodriguez@gmail.com
authors.forename: Gerzaín
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rodríguez
authors.forename: María Claudia
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Abaúnza
authors.forename: Elga Johanna
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Vargas
authors.forename: Fernando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: López
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001284:Atrophy; D053713:Azoospermia / Q000209:etiology; D002991:Clofazimine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003622:Dapsone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004822:Epididymis / Q000473:pathology; D004893:Erythema Nodosum / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D005355:Fibrosis; D005487:Foam Cells / Q000473:pathology; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D006965:Hyperplasia; D007006:Hypogonadism / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology*; D007917:Leprostatic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015440:Leprosy, Lepromatous / Q000145:classification / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D007985:Leydig Cells / Q000473:pathology; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D009919:Orchiectomy; D012293:Rifampin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013733:Testicular Diseases / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood; D013792:Thalidomide / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D007917:Leprostatic Agents; D013739:Testosterone; D013792:Thalidomide; D003622:Dapsone; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone; D002991:Clofazimine; D012293:Rifampin