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Published on: March 23, 2014
[Tuberculoid leprosy revealed by active ulcerative colitis: a case report]
M G Diop1, B A Diatta2, A Berthe3
1Université de Thiès, UFR des Sciences de la santé, Thiès, Sénégal.
Tuberculoid leprosy, a skin and nerve disease, can present with ulcerative colitis. Effective treatment for leprosy also led to remission of colitis in a Senegalese patient.
Area of Science:
- Dermatology
- Gastroenterology
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Leprosy is endemic in Senegal, with 73 new cases reported in Dakar in 2011.
- Discovery of leprosy often involves dermatologic or neurologic symptoms.
- Associations between leprosy and chronic inflammatory colitis are rarely reported and often considered coincidental.
Observation:
- A 30-year-old woman presented with active ulcerative colitis that revealed tuberculoid leprosy.
- The patient's leprosy was diagnosed as tuberculoid type.
Findings:
- Treatment followed the World Health Organization (WHO) leprosy protocol.
- Corticosteroids and methotrexate were used in conjunction with the WHO protocol.
- The combined treatment resulted in the healing of leprosy.
- The treatment also led to remission of the ulcerative colitis.
Implications:
- This case highlights a potential, though likely fortuitous, association between tuberculoid leprosy and ulcerative colitis.
- Successful management of leprosy can positively impact concurrent inflammatory bowel conditions.
- Further research may explore any underlying immunologic links between these conditions.
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