01762nas a2200373   4500000000100000008004100001260001300042653001800055653000900073653001400082653001600096653001200112653002800124653003000152653001400182653002000196653001100216653002300227653001200250653000900262653001600271653002500287653002200312653003900334653001300373653002200386100001400408700001300422245015400435300000900589490000700598520076900605022001401374       2009                            d  c2009 Apr10aAcute disease10aAged10aArthritis10aClofazimine10aDapsone10aDiagnosis, Differential10aDrug Therapy, Combination10aExanthema10aGlucocorticoids10aHumans10aLeprostatic Agents10aleprosy10aMale10aMiddle Aged10aMycobacterium leprae10aPeripheral nerves10aPeripheral Nervous System Diseases10aRifampin10aTreatment Outcome1 aSheetal S1 aArvind C00aLest we forget Hansen's disease (leprosy): an unusual presentation with an acute onset of inflammatory polyarthritis and the rheumatology experience.  a64-90 v123 a<p>Several forms of arthritis and rheumatism can sometimes complicate leprosy. However, its presentation as an acute onset arthritis is unusual. We report two adult male naïve patients who presented to our rheumatology outpatient clinic with acute onset inflammatory polyarthritis, skin rash and mild sensory neurodeficit. Borderline lepromatous leprosy (in type I lepra reaction) was diagnosed. We also refer to 19 case records of Hansen arthritis in the clinic database (1998-2007) from approximately 35,000 patients and a community study to highlight the missed diagnosis of Hansen's disease and its unusual association with rheumatoid arthritis. In countries like India where leprosy is endemic, this disease also merits attention in rheumatology clinics.</p>  a1756-185X