title: Indeterminate leprosy and lepromatous index case: four cases in the same family.
abstract: Leprosy is a chronic infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae, which primarily affects the skin and peripheral nerves. Brazil remains as the country with the second largest number of cases in the world. We report the case of three patients diagnosed with indeterminate leprosy in the same family. Two patients were HIV positive. An active search led to the discovery of the index case. It was crucial to persist in the search of the index case. This report shows how important it is to teach physicians and the general population about the signs and symptoms of leprosy. Early diagnosis and treatment are necessary to prevent sequelae and to eliminate the disease as a public health problem.
authors.affiliation: Federal University of Santa Catarina, University Hospital, FlorianópolisSC, Brazil.
authors.forename: Vanessa Priscilla Martins da
authors.initials: VP
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.affiliation: Federal University of Santa Catarina, University Hospital, FlorianópolisSC, Brazil.
authors.forename: Heloisa Helena Ramos
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Fonseca
authors.affiliation: Federal University of Santa Catarina, University Hospital, FlorianópolisSC, Brazil.
authors.forename: Mariana Mazzochi
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Sens
authors.affiliation: Federal University of Santa Catarina, University Hospital, FlorianópolisSC, Brazil.
authors.forename: Alvaro Thadeu
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Bender
mesh_terms: D017088:AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections / Q000473:pathology; D000328:Adult; D001706:Biopsy; D002648:Child; D005192:Family Health; D005260:Female; D006679:HIV Seropositivity; D006801:Humans; D007918:Leprosy / Q000473:pathology*; D015440:Leprosy, Lepromatous / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D012307:Risk Factors; D055815:Young Adult