On the spectrum of leprosy neuropathies: multifocal inflammatory neuropathy heralding leprosy relapse

Neuromuscul Disord. 2009 Oct;19(10):711-3. doi: 10.1016/j.nmd.2009.05.007. Epub 2009 Jun 23.

Abstract

We report a 52 year-old woman with a past history of lepromatous leprosy (14 years prior to our first evaluation) who presented with progressive weakness and severe arm/leg pain. CSF analysis revealed elevated protein level with normal cell count. Skin and sural nerve biopsy showed no bacilli. Immunomodulatory treatment led to major improvement on clinical, CSF and electrodiagnostic grounds, but after one year of treatment, skin test revealed leprosy relapse. To our knowledge, this is the first report of a multifocal inflammatory neuropathy heralding leprosy relapse. Extended neurological work-up may be important in unexplained neuropathy progression after leprosy treatment.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Disease Progression
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Immunotherapy
  • Leprosy, Lepromatous / cerebrospinal fluid
  • Leprosy, Lepromatous / drug therapy
  • Leprosy, Lepromatous / physiopathology*
  • Middle Aged
  • Muscle Weakness / cerebrospinal fluid
  • Muscle Weakness / physiopathology*
  • Muscle Weakness / therapy
  • Peripheral Nervous System Diseases / cerebrospinal fluid
  • Peripheral Nervous System Diseases / physiopathology*
  • Peripheral Nervous System Diseases / therapy
  • Recurrence
  • Skin / microbiology
  • Skin / pathology
  • Sural Nerve / microbiology
  • Sural Nerve / pathology
  • Time Factors
  • Treatment Outcome