02173nas a2200229   4500000000100000008004100001260001300042653001000055653001100065653001200076653000900088653002200097653000900119653002200128100001500150245006300165300001100228490000700239050003200246520165100278022001401929       1976                            d  c1976 Apr10aAdult10aHumans10aleprosy10aMale10aPeripheral nerves10aSkin10aSkin Pigmentation1 aGanapati R00aClassification of leprosy from the clinical point of view.  a163-710 v48  aInfolep Library - available3 a<p>While, according to some, classification of leprosy is primarily clinical, there should be no objection to the application of the advances made in the last decade in understanding the immunological and histopathological aspects of the disease, provided thereby the clinical classification can be made with more accuracy. Unlike most other diseases, the bulk of the process of attempts at diagnosis and classification of this disease is still in the hands of para-medical personnel in the field, and hence it is important that at the same time, an easily understood, uniformly accepted clinical classification should be recommended for field workers. While tuberculoid and lepromatous leprosy of the polar types can be diagnosed with accuracy even under field conditions, confusion generally arises with reference to the diagnosis or indeterminate maculoanaesthetic and borderline forms, and to identify some reacting lesions. Certain terminologies in vogue add further to the confusion. Reacting lesions are confused with active lesions. The importance of recognition of varieties of reacting lesions is stressed since the therapeutic management in such cases is entirely different. It is suggested that the early forms of leprosy characterised by paucity of cardinal features of the disease should be separated from the more established types and grouped under the term indeterminate leprosy. The diagnostic points to be taken into consideration in these lesions are discussed. The importance of investigating thoroughly before classifying patients who report rarely with neuritic symptoms without any evidence of skin lesion is stressed.</p>  a0024-1024