Lepra: puesta al día. Definición, patogénesis, clasificación, diagnóstico y tratamiento / Leprosy. An Update: Definition, Pathogenesis, Classification, Diagnosis, and Treatmen

La lepra es una enfermedad granulomatosa crónica causada por una micobacteria (M. leprae) que presenta predisposición por la piel y los nervios periféricos. La lepra continúa siendo endémica en distintas regiones del mundo. La presentación clínica de la enfermedad depende del estado inmunológico del paciente al adquirirla y de la evolución de la misma. Es una infección que se asocia a discapacidad y marginación. El diagnóstico de lepra es clínico y se hace al tener uno o más de los signos cardinales establecidos por la OMS: máculas hipopigmentadas o eritematosas con disminución de la sensibilidad, engrosamiento de los nervios periféricos y la demostración de bacilos ácido alcohol resistentes en una baciloscopia o biopsia de piel, con pérdida de anexos en los sitios afectados. El tratamiento consta de tres fármacos: rifampicina, clofazimina y dapsona. Existen principalmente dos modalidades de tratamiento dependiendo de la presentación clínica del paciente: paucibacilar o multibacilar (AU)

Leprosy is a chronic granulomatous disease caused by the bacillus Mycobacterium leprae. It primarily affects the skin and peripheral nerves and is still endemic in various regions of the world. Clinical presentation depends on the patient's immune status at the time of infection and during the course of the disease. Leprosy is associated with disability and marginalization. Diagnosis is clinical and is made when the patient has at least 1 of the following cardinal signs specified by the World Health Organization: hypopigmented or erythematous macules with sensory loss; thickened peripheral nerves; or positive acid-fast skin smear or skin biopsy with loss of adnexa at affected sites. Leprosy is treated with a multidrug combination of rifampicin, clofazimine, and dapsone. Two main regimens are used depending on whether the patient has paucibacillary or multibacillary disease (AU)

Leprosy. An update: definition, pathogenesis, classification, diagnosis, and treatment.

Leprosy is a chronic granulomatous disease caused by the bacillus Mycobacterium leprae. It primarily affects the skin and peripheral nerves and is still endemic in various regions of the world. Clinical presentation depends on the patient's immune status at the time of infection and during the course of the disease. Leprosy is associated with disability and marginalization. Diagnosis is clinical and is made when the patient has at least 1 of the following cardinal signs specified by the World Health Organization: hypopigmented or erythematous macules with sensory loss; thickened peripheral nerves; or positive acid-fast skin smear or skin biopsy with loss of adnexa at affected sites. Leprosy is treated with a multidrug combination of rifampicin, clofazimine, and dapsone. Two main regimens are used depending on whether the patient has paucibacillary or multibacillary disease.

[Evaluation of topical calcipotriol in psoriasis]. / Evaluación de calcipotriol tópico en psoriasis.

Calcipotriol is an analogue of vitamin D3 with effect on epidermal keratinization, cellular division and modulation of immune response. An evaluation of its therapeutic effect when given in twenty-five psoriatic patient with less than 25% of their body surface affected was done. The medication was applied twice daily during six weeks on involved areas. The evolution was evaluated by the psoriatic area and severity index (PASI) analysis. The evaluation of initial and terminal PASI analysis revealed a decrease in the psoriatic activity that fluctuated from 25% to 100%, with a 61% average. A reactivation in the psoriatic lesion was noticed two weeks after the medication was halted; thereafter, the calcipotriol was restarted for an additional four weeks and a decrease in their PASI with a 74% average was achieved. There were no important side effects reported. Calcipotriol is effective in the treatment of psoriasis and it is an important addition to the therapeutic medications available to treat psoriasis. It is important to give the treatment for longer periods of time for evaluating the possibility to induce prolonged remissions.