Borderline Tuberculoid Leprosy Associated with Histoid Leprosy

Area of Science:

• Dermatology
• Immunology
• Infectious Diseases

Background:

• Leprosy presents with diverse clinical and immunological manifestations.
• Coexistence of distinct leprosy forms within a single patient is exceptionally rare.
• Histoid leprosy (HL) and borderline tuberculoid (BT) leprosy represent different points on the leprosy spectrum.

Purpose of the Study:

• To report an extremely rare case of coexisting borderline tuberculoid (BT) leprosy and histoid leprosy (HL) in an immunocompetent individual.
• To describe the clinical presentation and histopathological findings of this unusual leprosy association.

Main Methods:

• A case study approach was employed.
• Clinical examination of skin lesions was performed.
• Histopathological examination of biopsies from different lesions was conducted to differentiate leprosy types.

Main Results:

• The patient, previously diagnosed with BT leprosy, presented with new papules and nodules.
• Histopathological analysis revealed features consistent with BT leprosy in one biopsy.
• Simultaneously, another biopsy showed histopathological characteristics of HL.

Conclusions:

• This case demonstrates the rare coexistence of BT leprosy and HL in an immunocompetent male.
• The findings underscore the complex immunological spectrum of leprosy.
• Such rare presentations necessitate thorough histopathological evaluation for accurate diagnosis and management.