Increased serum levels of interleukin-6 in erythema nodosum leprosum suggest its use as a biomarker.

Background: Erythema nodosum leprosum (ENL) is a frequent complication of multibacillary leprosy that can result in significant morbidity, including peripheral nerve damage and physical disability. The identification of possible serum markers could be a valuable tool for the early detection of ENL.

Aims: The purpose of this study was to evaluate selected serum mediators involved in the innate and adaptive immune responses to identify possible immunomarkers for ENL.

Impact of health interventions on epidemiological and operational leprosy indicators in a hyperendemic municipality of Brazil.

The study aimed to analyze the impact of health interventions carried out in the city of Palmas, Brazil, on the epidemiological and operational indicators of leprosy between 2007 and 2017. The intervention consisted of training healthcare personnel on the diagnosis and follow-up of patients and organizing the referral of patients to health units. Estimates of the impact were calculated by taking the differences between indicators reported in two equal periods of 1.

[Leprosy trends following implementation of an intervention project in a state capital in the North of Brazil, 2002-2016].

The project Palmas Free of Leprosy was implemented to improve indicators and deal with the disease, since the capital of Tocantins State is the most hyperendemic state capital in Brazil. This study measures the impact of the project's intervention through trend analysis of the priority indicators in Palmas, from 2002 to 2016. The study was based on an analysis of data from the Brazilian Information System for Notifiable Diseases (SINAN) and reports of applied training courses with problem-solving methodology.

Immune Checkpoints in Leprosy: Immunotherapy As a Feasible Approach to Control Disease Progression.

Leprosy remains a health problem in several countries. Current management of patients with leprosy is complex and requires multidrug therapy. Nonetheless, antibiotic treatment is insufficient to prevent nerve disabilities and control .

Lepromatous leprosy simulating rheumatoid arthritis - Report of a neglected disease.

Brazil has the second largest number of leprosy cases in the world; nevertheless, late diagnosis is common. We report the case of a male patient with pain and numbness in both hands and feet for six years with positive rheumatoid factor and anticardiolipin under rheumatoid arthritis treatment for five years. Examination revealed diffuse cutaneous infiltration and leonine facies, characteristic features of lepromatous leprosy.

Genome-Wide Screening of mRNA Expression in Leprosy Patients.

Leprosy, an infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae, affects millions of people worldwide. However, little is known regarding its molecular pathophysiological mechanisms. In this study, a comprehensive assessment of human mRNA was performed on leprosy skin lesions by using DNA chip microarrays, which included the entire spectrum of the disease along with its reactional states.

Tuberculoid leprosy presenting as a "racket" lesion.

The "racket" lesion is a rare presentation of tuberculoid leprosy, which consists of a thickened nerve branch emerging from a tuberculoid plaque. It results from centripetal damage to cutaneous nerves caused by granuloma formation. We describe a typical case of tuberculoid leprosy presenting as a "racket" lesion.

Surgical treatment of type I neuritis in a teenage boy with borderline tuberculoid leprosy.

Exacerbation of the immune response against Mycobacterium leprae can lead to neuritis, which is commonly treated via immunosuppression with corticosteroids. Early neurolysis may be performed concurrently, especially in young patients with a risk of functional sequelae. We report the case of a young patient experienced intense pain in the left elbow one year after the treatment of tuberculoid-tuberculoid leprosy.

Evaluation of the social, clinical and laboratorial profile of patients diagnosed with leprosy in a reference center in São Paulo.

Background: Leprosy is the main infectious cause of disability. It is said to be eradicated in São Paulo since 2005, but diagnosis is still late.

Objectives: To investigate the social, clinical and laboratorial profile of leprosy patients diagnosed between 01/2007 and 12/2011, in a reference center in São Paulo.

Clinical and demographic profile of chromoblastomycosis in a referral service in the midwest of São Paulo state (Brazil).

Chromoblastomycosis is one of the most frequent deep mycoses found in rural populations. This cross-sectional, retrospective and descriptive study was conducted with cases of chromoblastomycosis diagnosed throughout 20 years. A higher prevalence was observed among White male rural workers, with an average age of 59.

American tegumentary leishmaniasis: correlations among immunological, histopathological and clinical parameters.

Background: American tegumentary leishmaniasis has an annual incidence of 1 to 1.5 million cases. In some cases, the patient's immune response can eliminate the parasite, and the lesion spontaneously resolves.

Angiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis in the spectrum of leprosy and its reactional forms.

Background: Angiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis are the processes of neovascularization that evolve from preexisting blood and lymphatic vessels. There are few studies on angiogenesis and none on lymphangiogenesis in leprosy. Thus, the role of neovascularization in the pathophysiological mechanisms of the disease was studied across the spectrum of leprosy, its reactional states and its residual lesions.

Primary neural leprosy: systematic review.

The authors proposed a systematic review on the current concepts of primary neural leprosy by consulting the following online databases: MEDLINE, Lilacs/SciELO, and Embase. Selected studies were classified based on the degree of recommendation and levels of scientific evidence according to the "Oxford Centre for Evidence-based Medicine". The following aspects were reviewed: cutaneous clinical and laboratorial investigations, i.

Primary cutaneous cryptococcosis in Brazil: report of 11 cases in immunocompetent and immunosuppressed patients.

Background: Primary cutaneous cryptococcosis is an uncommon infectious disease caused by Cryptococcus neoformans or Cryptococcus gattii affecting immunosuppressed as well as immunocompetent patients. It is often misdiagnosed as it may mimic other cutaneous diseases.

Materials And Methods: We report a series of cases diagnosed from 2005 to 2010 in two general hospitals.

Case for diagnosis.

Lipomas are common benign mesenchymal tumors composed of mature fat cells that may or may not be surrounded by a thin, fibrous capsule. The link with trauma has already been described. Lipomas involving the fingers are extremely rare but must be considered in the differential diagnosis of benign soft tissue masses in this particular location.

Neural relapse in multibacillary leprosy 6 years after end of treatment.

This article presents a case of relapse, with isolated neural manifestation, in a multibacillary patient previously treated with multidrug therapy for multibacillary leprosy (24 doses). The patient returned to the service six years after the end of treatment, with pain in hands and legs. He was investigated, and the serological monitoring showed an important increase in anti-phenolic glycolipid serum levels.

Leprosy patients: neurotrophic factors and axonal markers in skin lesions.

Neurotrophins are growth factors with crucial roles in neural pathophysiology. These mediators functionally modulate nociceptive fibers, and changes in neurotrophins expression have been correlated with early loss of nociception in leprosy. This study investigated the expression of NGF, BDNF, and NT3 in dermal nerves of leprosy patients.

In vitro and skin lesion cytokine profile in Brazilian patients with borderline tuberculoid and borderline lepromatous leprosy.

Objective: We investigated the in vitro and skin lesions production of cytokines in non-treated borderline tuberculoid (BT) and borderline lepromatous (BL) patients.

Patients And Methods: Seven untreated, non-reactional BT patients and 12 untreated, non-reactional BL patients were studied. Levels of the cytokines IFN-gamma, IL-10, TGF-beta1 and TNF-alpha were measured in supernantant of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) cultures, stimulated with specific M.

Lichen striatus on adult.

Lichen Striatus is an uncommon inflammatory skin eruption of unknown etiology. It rarely affects adults, and it is characterized by abrupt onset of coalescent papules, in a linear disposition, usually on the extremities. Histopathology shows lichenoid reaction involving follicles and glands.

Use of the ML-Flow test as a tool in classifying and treating leprosy.

Background: The treatment of leprosy is defined by the classification of patients as paucibacillary (PB) or multibacillary (MB). The WHO (World Health Organization) classifies patients according to the number of lesions, but Ridley-Jopling (R & J) also uses complementary exams, which are difficult to use outside reference services. In 2003, a test called ML-Flow, an alternative to Elisa serology, was developed to help classify patients as PB or MB and decide about their treatment.

Pemphigus herpetiformis in childhood.

Pemphigus herpetiformis (PH) is a rare pemphigus variant. The clinical features of this form of pemphigus resembles dermatitis herpetiformis, however, histological examination and immunofluorescence yield findings diagnostic for pemphigus. A 5-year-old female patient with clinical features suggestive of dermatitis herpetiformis is reported.

[Evaluation of the degree of incapacity of patients with a diagnosis of leprosy at a dermatology service in the state of São Paulo].

Unlabelled: IINTRODUCTION: Leprosy is a chronic infectious disease that can lead to physical incapacity.

Methods: The medical records of 167 patients diagnosed with leprosy between 2003 and 2007 were reviewed.

Results: Most of the patients (60%) presented physical incapacity at the time of diagnosis: 34% with grade I and 26% with grade II.