Clinico-Histopathological Study Of Leprosy Patients A Tertiary Care Hospital Based Study

ABSTRACT

Background and Objectives: Leprosy is a chronic infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae involving skin and peripheral nerves. Depending upon the immune status of the patients there are different clinico-pathological presentation.Despite having been declared eliminated in December 2005 from India as a public health problem, the prevalence of leprosy exceeds 1/10000 population in certain districts/states of India. According to 4thWorld Health Organization report, India accounts for 60% of the world’s new leprosy cases. Thisis due to stoppage of active surveillance after reaching elimination levels. A spurt in its prevalence motivated us to carry out the study.Our aim is to diagnose and typing of leprosy by histopathology and to correlate the clinical and histopathological diagnosis as per Ridley-Jopling Scale to facilitate accurate therapy.Material and methods: The prospective study was carried out in the pathology department of AMC MET Medical College, L.G. Hospital, Maninagar, Gujarat form January 2016 to December 2017, after ethical clearance from institutional ethics committee.All the punch biopsy specimens of suspected patients of leprosy were subjected to histopathological examination. Result:A total of 90 cases were studied. Among the clinically suspected cases 67 were positive for leprosy. Male to female ratio was 3.51, the age ranged from4 to 80 years. Maximum cases were classified as borderline lepromatous leprosy(22) and least cases of midboderline leprosy(2) and indeterminant leprosy(2). Maximum clinico-histopathological correlation was seen in tuberculoid leprosy (100%) and indeterminant leprosy(100%). Conclusion:Combining clinical, histopathological and microbiological diagnosis of leprosy is important for proper treatment of the patient and prevention of complications.