BACKGROUND:
Leprosy is a chronic infectious disease caused by mycobacterium leprae, which can lead to permanent disability and facial deformity if not identified and treated accordingly. In this study, we have attempted to classify leprosy and study its histopathological pattern along with its clinical presentation in a tertiary medical college in Uttar Pradesh.
AIM AND OBJECTIVE:
To study the clinicohistopathological profile of leprosy patients in a tertiary medical college in central uttar pradesh.
MATERIAL AND METHODS:
Forty eight patients clinically suspected of leprosy and finally diagnosed on skin biopsy were included in the study from July 2022 to July 2025. The skin biopsies were processed and stained using H & E stain ( Hematoxylin and Eosin ) and Acid fast stain(AFB) using 5% H2So4 ( Sulfuric acid ). All the cases were finally diagnosed as leprosy were classified under the Ridley Jopling‘s classification.
RESULTS:
Out of total 48 patients, BLL was diagnosed as the most common form of leprosy by histological examination (29.1%) while LL was the most frequent form of leprosy diagnosed on clinical examination (33.3%). The overall agreement between the clinical and histological diagnosis was 70.8%.
CONCLUSION:
In our study, a relatively high percentage of cases of combined borderline lepromatous leprosy (BLL), LL, ENL and HL cases indicate the continuing trend of leprosy cases in the region with high bacterial load despite being declared eliminated in India. Our study also emphasizes on the key role of Ridley Jopling classification in effective categorization and treatment of lepro