Caracterización de lesiones bucales de pacientes con enfermedad de Hansen / Characteristics of Oral Lesions in Patients With Hansen Disease

ANTECEDENTES Y OBJETIVO: La enfermedad de Hansen o lepra es una enfermedad causada por Mycobacterium leprae y Mycobacterium lepromatosis. Estas bacterias ingresan al organismo por las vías aéreas superiores, por lo que generan manifestaciones clínicas en la mucosa nasal y en la cavidad bucal. El objetivo del estudio es caracterizar las lesiones bucales de los pacientes con una enfermedad de Hansen. MATERIALES Y MÉTODOS: Se diseñó un estudio observacional, transversal, de 100 pacientes con diagnóstico de lepra. Se examinó la cavidad bucal y se registraron los hallazgos clínicos en una ficha epidemiológica. Además, se incluyó el estudio histopatológico de las lesiones que requirieron de una biopsia. Los casos sugestivos de lepra fueron teñidos y analizados con hematoxilina y eosina, Ziehl-Neelsen y Fite-Faraco. Las variables fueron analizadas y comparadas mediante las pruebas Chi2, correlación de Spearman y U de Mann-Whitney. RESULTADOS: El grupo de estudio estuvo conformado por 67 hombres y 33 mujeres, con una media (± desviación estándar) de 48,1±16,4 años de edad. Fueron observadas lesiones bucales en 34 pacientes. Las lesiones orales relacionadas con lepra, presentes en 9 pacientes, se ubicaron en el paladar duro y el labio superior. Estas fueron significativamente más frecuentes en la lepra lepromatosa, la borderline lepromatosa (p = 0,029) y en el eritema nudoso leproso (p = 0,031). CONCLUSIONES: Las lesiones bucales asociadas a lepra ocurren con una frecuencia baja, manifestándose como lepromas y placas leprosas en el paladar duro y el labio superior

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Hansen disease, or leprosy, is caused by Mycobacterium leprae or Mycobacterium lepromatosis. Because these bacteria enter the body via the upper airways, they generate clinical manifestations in the nasal mucous membranes and the mouth. We aimed to describe the characteristics of oral lesions in patients with Hansen disease. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Cross-sectional observational study of 100 patients diagnosed with Hansen disease. We examined the oral cavity and recorded clinical findings on a disease reporting form for each patient. We also included the histopathologic findings for lesions that required a biopsy. Samples suggestive of Hansen disease were processed with hematoxylin-eosin, Ziehl-Neelsen, and Fite-Faraco staining. Variables were analyzed, as appropriate, with the χ2 test, the Mann-Whitney U test, or the Spearman correlation coefficient. RESULTS: Sixty-seven men and 33 women were included. The mean (SD) age was 48.1±16.4 years. Thirty-four patients had oral lesions. Lesions related to Hansen disease were found in 9 patients. The locations were the hard palate and upper lip. Oral lesions were significantly more frequent in patients with lepromatous leprosy, borderline lepromatous leprosy (P = .029), and erythema nodosum leprosum (P = .031). CONCLUSIONS: The frequency of oral lesions is low in Hansen disease. Such lesions present as lepromas and leprous plaques on the hard palate and upper lip

Characteristics of Oral Lesions in Patients With Hansen Disease. / Caracterización de lesiones bucales de pacientes con enfermedad de Hansen.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Hansen disease, or leprosy, is caused by Mycobacterium leprae or Mycobacterium lepromatosis. Because these bacteria enter the body via the upper airways, they generate clinical manifestations in the nasal mucous membranes and the mouth. We aimed to describe the characteristics of oral lesions in patients with Hansen disease. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Cross-sectional observational study of 100 patients diagnosed with Hansen disease. We examined the oral cavity and recorded clinical findings on a disease reporting form for each patient. We also included the histopathologic findings for lesions that required a biopsy. Samples suggestive of Hansen disease were processed with hematoxylin-eosin, Ziehl-Neelsen, and Fite-Faraco staining. Variables were analyzed, as appropriate, with the χ2 test, the Mann-Whitney U test, or the Spearman correlation coefficient. RESULTS: Sixty-seven men and 33 women were included. The mean (SD) age was 48.1±16.4 years. Thirty-four patients had oral lesions. Lesions related to Hansen disease were found in 9 patients. The locations were the hard palate and upper lip. Oral lesions were significantly more frequent in patients with lepromatous leprosy, borderline lepromatous leprosy (P = .029), and erythema nodosum leprosum (P = .031). CONCLUSIONS: The frequency of oral lesions is low in Hansen disease. Such lesions present as lepromas and leprous plaques on the hard palate and upper lip.