Related Experiment Videos
Histoid leprosy in Singapore.
Annals of the Academy of Medicine, Singapore
|October 1, 1987
Summary
This case report details the first documented histoid leprosy in Singapore, a rare form of lepromatous leprosy. Treatment with clofazimine resolved dapsone-resistant lesions.
Area of Science:
- Dermatology
- Infectious Diseases
- Pathology
Background:
- Histoid leprosy is a rare clinical variant of lepromatous leprosy.
- Leprosy diagnosis and treatment have evolved significantly since 1973.
- Singapore has not previously documented a case of histoid leprosy.
Observation:
- A patient diagnosed with borderline leprosy in 1973 progressed to lepromatous leprosy without treatment.
- Characteristic firm, pruriginous nodules (histoid lesions) appeared on the patient's feet.
- Histology revealed pseudocapsulated tumors with bacilli-laden fibroblasts and histiocytes.
Findings:
- Electron microscopy confirmed fibroblasts, macrophages, and plasmacytoid cells containing Mycobacterium leprae.
- The patient exhibited resistance to dapsone therapy.
- Complete lesion clearance was achieved using clofazimine.
Implications:
- This case highlights the importance of recognizing rare leprosy variants.
- It underscores the potential for dapsone resistance in histoid leprosy.
- Successful treatment with clofazimine offers a therapeutic alternative for resistant cases.