[Pathological examination of the lung in leprosy patients]

To study pulmonary lesions in leprosy, five autopsy cases were histopathologically examined. Case 1 (BL type) died of renal failure, case 2 (LL type) of myocardial infarction, case 3 (TT type) and 4 (BL type) of cerebral hemorrhage and case 5 (BL type) of pancreas cancer. The mean age was 78 years old. Uremic lung (case 1), old tuberculous lesion (case 3) and metastatic adenocarcinoma (case 5) were demonstrated. Pulmonary congestion and mild emphysema were seen in all cases. Aspiration pneumonia was found in all but case 4. Small foci of adenomatous hyperplasia were found in cases 1 and 5. In addition, pulmonary findings of 13 outpatients with leprosy were roentgenologically examined. No patient except one with mild emphysema showed any abnormality in the lung. In our cases, no characteristic pulmonary lesion to leprosy was found.