Ultrastructural studies of peripheral nerves in lepromatous leprosy patients

Ultrathin sections of the peripheral nerves taken from three lepromatous leprosy patients (One untreated, other treated and third in ENL reaction) was examined in the electronmicroscope. In the untreated patient, solid M. leprae organism inside the schwann cell and the degeneration of schwann cell was seen. In contrast, the treated patient showed the degeneration of bacilli and myelinated fibres. However, the characteristics of cells in the ENL reaction showed close similarities with the untreated case.