Borderline tuberculoid leprosy and type 1 leprosy reaction in a hepatitis C patient during treatment with interferon and ribavirin / Hanseniase boderline tuberculoide e reacao hansenica do tipo 1 em paciente com hepatite C durante tratamento com interferon e ribavirina

Hepatitis C is an inflammatory disease of the liver caused by a single-stranded RNA virus belonging to the Hepacivirus genus in the Flaviviridae family, called the hepatitis C virus. After initial infection, 70% to 85% of the patients develop chronic hepatitis C with hepatic fibrosis. In addition to specific liver changes, various extrahepatic manifestations have been associated with the hepatitis C virus infection or with medications used to treat the condition. We report the case of a patient with chronic hepatitis C who presented with the signs and symptoms of borderline tuberculoid leprosy and type 1 reaction four months after the start of treatment with a pegylated interferon/ribavirin combination.

A hepatite C é uma doença inflamatória fígado causada por um vírus RNA de fita simples, pertencente ao gênero Hepacivirus e à família Flaviviridae, denominado de vírus da hepatite C. Após infecção inicial 70 a 85% dos pacientes infectados evoluem para hepatite C crônica, com fibrose progressiva. Além das alterações hepáticas específicas, várias manifestações extra-hepáticas têm sido relacionadas à infecção pelo vírus da hepatite C ou às medicações utilizadas no seu tratamento. Nesse trabalho, apresenta-se caso de paciente portador de hepatite C crônica, que manifestou um quadro hanseníase boderline tuberculóide e reação hansênica do tipo I, quatro meses após início do tratamento com interferon peguilado associado à ribavirina.

Type I lepra reaction presenting as immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome.

Immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (IRIS) is an unusual inflammatory reaction due to infectious and non-infectious causes occurring in human Immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients. IRIS occurs after the initiation of antiretroviral therapy. There are no reports of type I lepra reaction due to IRIS in published literature from India. We report two cases of HIV-infected males who presented with borderline tuberculoid leprosy in type 1 reaction after the initiation of highly active antiretroviral treatment (HAART). Case 1 presented with multiple, tender, erythematous and hypoesthetic plaques on the trunk and extremities after 3 months of antiretroviral therapy. In case 2, type I lepra reaction was observed 2 months after the initiation of HAART.