Abstract
Background: Leprosy can infect many tissues besides peripheral nerves and skin. Mycobacterium leprae can occasionally invade blood stream. Objectives: The aim of the study was to determine the frequency of bacteremia in leprosy patients. Patients and methods: Buffy coat smears and smears from peripheral blood samples and slit-skin smears of 20 patients with Hansen's disease (6 with lepromatous, 8 with borderline lepromatous, and 3 each with borderline tuberculoid and pure neuritic leprosy) were stained with Ziehl-Neelsen method for acid-fast bacilli. Results: Out of 20 patients, slit-skin smears were positive in 10 patients (5 each with lepromatous and borderline lepromatous leprosy) while buffy coat smears and blood smears were positive in 2 and 1 patients of lepromatous leprosy, respectively. Conclusion: Bacteremia rarely occurs in leprosy.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 14-15 |
| Number of pages | 2 |
| Journal | Journal of Pakistan Association of Dermatologists |
| Volume | 17 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| Publication status | Published - 01-01-2007 |
All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes
- Dermatology