Lepromatous leprosy and perianal tuberculosis: a case report and literature review

• Main Authors: Maria Rita Parise-Fortes, Joel Carlos Lastória, Silvio Alencar Marques, Maria Stella Ayres Putinatti, Hamilton Ometto Stolf, Mariângela Ester Alencar Marques, Vidal Haddad
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: SciELO 2014-09-01
• Series: Journal of Venomous Animals and Toxins including Tropical Diseases
• Subjects: Mycobacteria; Leprosy; Tuberculosis; Erythema nodosum leprosum
• Online Access: http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1678-91992014000200506&lng=en&tlng=en

Leprosy is a chronic infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae, a microorganism that usually affects skin and nerves. Although it is usually well-controlled by multidrug therapy (MDT), the disease may be aggravated by acute inflammatory reaction episodes that cause permanent tissue damage particularly to peripheral nerves. Tuberculosis is predominantly a disease of the lungs; however, it may spread to other organs and cause an extrapulmonary infection. Both mycobacterial infections are endemic in developing countries including Brazil, and cases of coinfection have been reported in the last decade. Nevertheless, simultaneous occurrence of perianal cutaneous tuberculosis and erythema nodosum leprosum is very rare, even in countries where both mycobacterial infections are endemic.