Leprosy diagnostic criteria: Difference between revisions
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==Overview== | ==Overview== | ||
Leprosy is a | Leprosy is a disease with very different clinical presentations, depending on the immune response provided by the host. Therefore it is important to consider the different conditions that may mimic leprosy's presentation, particularly since the diagnosis of leprosy has a very serious psychological and social impact in a patient's life. To minimize the risk of reaching an erroneous diagnosis and inflicting stress and concern on the patient, this should only be communicated when there is relative certainty | ||
==Diagnostic Criteria== | ==Diagnostic Criteria== | ||
Revision as of 20:49, 5 July 2014
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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: João André Alves Silva, M.D. [2]
Overview
Leprosy is a disease with very different clinical presentations, depending on the immune response provided by the host. Therefore it is important to consider the different conditions that may mimic leprosy's presentation, particularly since the diagnosis of leprosy has a very serious psychological and social impact in a patient's life. To minimize the risk of reaching an erroneous diagnosis and inflicting stress and concern on the patient, this should only be communicated when there is relative certainty
Diagnostic Criteria
Attending to the historic and social impact of leprosy in the population, a careful assessment of the patient should be made, before advancing the definitive diagnosis of leprosy. Even when suspected in the differential diagnosis, a reasonable degree of certainty is required, before communicating this to the patient.[1]
For the diagnosis of leprosy, at least one of the following signs should be present:[1]
- Confirmed loss of sensation of a hypopigmented or erythematous skin patch. At this point is also important to count the number of skin lesions, in order to classify the type of leprosy, so that adequate therapy regimen may be started.
- A thickened peripheral nerve, with concomitant loss of sensation and/or weakness of the muscles it stimulates.
- Confirmation of acid-fast bacilli in the skin smear, although most people with leprosy will have a negative smear.