02277nas a2200373 4500000000100000008004100001260001700042653001000059653000900069653001100078653002800089653001100117653001100128653001200139653000900151653001600160653001900176653001700195653002500212653001100237653001100248100001500259700001700274700002100291700001700312700002200329700002300351245007200374300001000446490000700456050001500463520141100478022001401889 2006 d c2006 May-Jun10aAdult10aAged10aBiopsy10aCross-Sectional Studies10aFemale10aHumans10aleprosy10aMale10aMiddle Aged10aMouth Diseases10aMouth Mucosa10aMycobacterium leprae10aPalate10aTongue1 aAbreu MAMM1 aMichalany NS1 aMaurice Weckx LL1 aPimentel DRN1 aWatashi Hirata CH1 aAvelar Alchorne MM00aThe oral mucosa in leprosy: a clinical and histopathological study. a312-60 v72 aABREU 20063 a

INTRODUCTION: Multibacillary leprosy may involve the oral mucosa, with or without apparent lesions. There are few studies that deal with this issue in the era of multidrug therapy.

AIM: To assess the frequency of oral mucosa involvement in multibacillary leprosy patients.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: A transversal study with twenty non-treated multibacillary leprosy patients. The patients were treated in Dracena, São Paulo, between 2000 and 2002. Clinical examination of the oral mucosa was carried out. All patients were submitted to jugal mucosa, soft palate and tongue biopsies, in altered or in pre-established sites. The cross-sections were stained by techniques of hematoxilin-eosin and Ziehl-Neelsen. Granuloma and alcohol-acid-resistant bacilli findings determined the specific histopathological involvement.

RESULTS: The study involved 19 patients with an average of 2.5 years of disease progression. Specific histopathological involvement occurred in the tongue and soft palate of one lepromatous patient with an apparently normal oral mucosa.

CONCLUSIONS: (1) Clinical alterations in the oral mucosa does not imply disease involvement, it is necessary to have histopathological confirmation. (2) Apparent specific clinical alterations are rare. (3) The clinically normal oral mucosa can show specific histopathological involvement.

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