02084nas a2200253   4500000000100000008004100001260001700042653004200059653004200101653002500143653001900168653001100187653004800198653001200246100001300258700001500271700001600286700001200302245006000314300001000374490000700384520142500391022001401816       2011                            d  c2011 Apr-Jun10aAIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections10aAntiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active10aCD4 Lymphocyte Count10aHIV Infections10aHumans10aImmune Reconstitution Inflammatory Syndrome10aleprosy1 aSanghi S1 aGrewal R S1 aVasudevan B1 aLodha N00aImmune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome in leprosy.  a61-700 v833 a<p>Immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (IRIS) is a paradoxical deterioration in the clinical status of a patient infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) on highly active antiretroviral treatment (HAART). The immune suppression caused by the virus can initially suppress the clinical manifestations of leprosy which can then be unmasked after treatment with HAART or an inflammatory reaction can occur in the initial months of therapy, resulting from dysregulated recovery of immunity to specific antigens. Both these conditions are identified as IRIS in leprosy. Though this syndrome is a widely recognized entity presently, there is still a lack of universally acceptable diagnostic criteria for the condition. The first case published case of leprosy- associated immune reconstitution disease was reported in 2003 and about 47 confirmed cases of IRIS in leprosy have been reported since then, mostly from Brazil and India. Anti-inflammatory drugs and steroids are the drugs of choice in inflammatory episodes with continuation of antiretroviral therapy. With increasing affordability of antiretroviral therapy, clinicians will put more and more number of human immunodeficiency virus infected patients on therapy and hence an increase in the incidence of IRIS is expected. Therefore, it is important to understand all facets of this syndrome which is becoming more prevalent with each passing day.</p>  a0254-9395