Pathologic changes in a tibial nerve with surviving M. leprae in a healed tuberculoid leprosy patient

A tibial nerve from a disease-arrested borderline tuberculoid (BT) leprosy patient was dissected out and examined almost in its entirety using hematoxylin and eosin staining, a modified Fite's stain for acid-fast bacilli (AFB), solochrome cyanin stain for myelin, and van Gieson's stain for fibrous tissue. Fibrosis of the perineurium and epineurium and fibrous replacement of the nerve parenchyma, which was maximum at the ankle joint area, were seen. In focal areas inflammation was present, especially in the epineurium around blood and lymph vessels. Even 21 years after adequate antileprosy therapy, AFB were present in the endoneurium in all except 2 of the 10 segments of the nerve, evoking hardly an inflammatory reaction or other ill effects. It is pointed out that BT leprosy should also be considered a generalized disease, especially when there is peripheral nerve trunk involvement and, in such cases, a longer duration of currently available antileprosy therapy is advisable. Trauma to nerve trunk plays a major role in producing nerve destruction and paralysis.