Neurofibromatosis and leprosy

Two patients with neurofibromatosis and leprosy are reported. Both had active lepromatous leprosy and generalized neurofibromata. The bacilli appear in huge numbers within the cytoplasm of the cells making up the neurofibromata, which become distended and resemble lepra cells. Since these cells are believed to derive from Schwann cells, the findings in these patients support the idea that leprosy affects nerves initially by proliferating in Schwann cells and producing changes within them.