01694nas a2200301   4500000000100000008004100001260001600042653001000058653001100068653002500079653000900104653001600113653001900129653001700148100001300165700001300178700001400191700001300205700001500218700001400233700001400247700001100261245006000272300001200332490000700344520102700351022001401378       2008                            d  c2008 Aug 0110aAdult10aHumans10aLeprosy, lepromatous10aMale10aMiddle Aged10aMouth Diseases10aPalate, Soft1 aMotta AC1 aKomesu M1 aSilva CHL1 aArruda D1 aSimão JCL1 aZenha EMR1 aFurini RB1 aFoss N00aLeprosy-specific oral lesions: a report of three cases.  aE479-820 v133 a<p>Leprosy is a chronic infection caused by Mycobacterium leprae, a bacillus that presents a peculiar tropism for the skin and peripheral nerves. The clinical spectrum of leprosy ranges from the tuberculoid form (TT) to the disseminative and progressive lepromatous form (LL). Oral lesions are rare but, when present, occur in the lepromatous form. This article describes the clinical and microscopic findings of three cases of LL with oral manifestations. All patients had the lepromatous form and their leprosy-specific oral lesions occurred in the palate. The diagnosis was based on clinical, serological and histopathological findings, and multidrug therapy for multibacillary leprosy was started and continued for 24 months. All patients completed treatment, but developed reaction episodes which were treated with prednisone and/or thalidomide. The authors emphasize the importance of oral mucosa evaluation by a dental health professional during patient care since oral lesions may act as a source of infection.</p>  a1698-6946