Acid fast bacilli in lymph node aspirate and smears from ear lobules and fingers in long treated patients.

Skin slit smears from fingers and ear lobules and lymph node aspiration smears stained with Ziehl-Neelsen stain were studied in 43 patients of LL or BL disease. All the patients had taken dapsone monotherapy for 3-7 years. None of the patients had clinical evidence of dapsone resistance. Small number of bacilli were detected in 16 patients. Lymph node aspirate was positive in 5 cases, whereas ear lobule and fingers yielded bacilli in 12 and 13 cases respectively. It is recommended that in addition to the traditional ear lobe it is imperative to study other sites as well. Study from fingers is recommended for the sake of simplicity. Where facilities are available sampling of the lymph node may also be attempted to advantage.