Hansen disease is a neurocutaneous disease that may present predominantly with neurological manifestations. Chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP) is another condition that can present similarly to early neuritic Hansen disease. We report the case of a 60-year-old man who was initially diagnosed and treated as probable CIDP before subsequently being diagnosed with multibacillary lepromatous leprosy. This case illustrates the diagnostic challenges posed by overlapping neurological manifestations of Hansen disease and CIDP.
BT - Cureus DA - 10/2026 DO - 10.7759/cureus.117657 IS - 10 LA - ENG M3 - Article N2 -Hansen disease is a neurocutaneous disease that may present predominantly with neurological manifestations. Chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP) is another condition that can present similarly to early neuritic Hansen disease. We report the case of a 60-year-old man who was initially diagnosed and treated as probable CIDP before subsequently being diagnosed with multibacillary lepromatous leprosy. This case illustrates the diagnostic challenges posed by overlapping neurological manifestations of Hansen disease and CIDP.
PB - Springer Science and Business Media LLC PY - 2026 SP - 1 EP - 7 T2 - Cureus TI - Multibacillary Leprosy Presenting as Chronic Progressive Polyneuropathy Initially Diagnosed as Probable Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy (CIDP): A Diagnostic Pitfall UR - https://assets.cureus.com/uploads/case_report/pdf/517404/20261009-745387-80opfn.pdf VL - 18 SN - 2168-8184 ER -