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Han Him Jeong
, Seung Gi Hong, Jin-Mo Park1, Jong-Pill Kim1, Eun Phil Heo, Jae Wan Go
, Seung Gi Hong, Jin-Mo Park1, Jong-Pill Kim1, Eun Phil Heo, Jae Wan Go
Abstract
Leprosy is a chronic infectious and granulomatous disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae. It is treated with a multidrug therapy (MDT), which is consisted of dapsone, rifampicin, and clofazimine. However, there were relapsed leprosy associated with various predisposing factors; persisting organism, multiple involved skin lesions and nerves, HIV infection, monotherapy, inadequate and irregular therapy. Early or late relapses were observed in leprosy. Early onset relapses may occur due to insufficient treatment, and late relapses are probably with persistent bacilli and drug resistant organisms. Herein, we report on an interesting case of a 78-year-old man presented with relapsed leprosy associated with ulcerative skin lesions. The patient was diagnosed with lepromatous leprosy about 40 years ago, and he was treated with dapsone monotherapy and MDT. Our case is thought to have occurred due to persistent bacilli related to irregular therapy.
Figures and Tables
Fig. 1
(A) Erythematosus plaques with ulcerative skin lesions on the trunk
(B) Multiple painful ulcers on the chest
Fig. 2
Histopathologic examination shows diffuse inflammatory cell infiltration in dermis
(A) and subcutis (B) separated from subepidermal grenz zone (H&E, ×40), and also positive staining with acid-fast bacilli stain (×400) (C)
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