Leprosy is a granulomatous disease affecting the skin and peripheral nerves caused by Mycobacterium leprae. The range of clinical forms varying from tuberculoid to lepromatous leprosy results from variations in the cellular immune response to the mycobacterium. Despite available combined drug-therapy, it continues to be a significant public health problem, carrying a strong stigma. Although recently there has been no native cases in Chile, a few imported cases have been diagnosed. We present a 56-year-old man who had lived in Paraguay for 8 years, and presented with leprosy 6 years after returning to Chile. The biology of leprosy, clinical features of the disease, current diagnostic criteria and approaches to treatment are discussed.
BT - Revista chilena de infectologia : organo oficial de la Sociedad Chilena de Infectologia C1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18273528?dopt=Abstract DA - 2008 Feb DO - /S0716-10182008000100013 IS - 1 J2 - Rev Chilena Infectol LA - spa N2 -Leprosy is a granulomatous disease affecting the skin and peripheral nerves caused by Mycobacterium leprae. The range of clinical forms varying from tuberculoid to lepromatous leprosy results from variations in the cellular immune response to the mycobacterium. Despite available combined drug-therapy, it continues to be a significant public health problem, carrying a strong stigma. Although recently there has been no native cases in Chile, a few imported cases have been diagnosed. We present a 56-year-old man who had lived in Paraguay for 8 years, and presented with leprosy 6 years after returning to Chile. The biology of leprosy, clinical features of the disease, current diagnostic criteria and approaches to treatment are discussed.
PY - 2008 SP - 64 EP - 9 T2 - Revista chilena de infectologia : organo oficial de la Sociedad Chilena de Infectologia TI - [Hansen's disease: case report and review of literature]. VL - 25 SN - 0716-1018 ER -