[Effectiveness of thalidomide for erythema nodosum leprosum (ENL): retrospective study of 20 Japanese cases in National Sanatrium Oku-Komyoen].

Thalidomide is a TNF-alpha inhibitor and has been administrated for erythema nodosum leprosum (ENL, Type II leprosy reaction) which is one of leprosy reactions and can cause serious illness to patients oflepromatous pole among the immune spectrum. Twenty live cases (at May, 2011) were identified to whom thalidomide had been administrated since 1978 for their ENL reactions. Data were collected from their clinical records in order to evaluate the usage and effectiveness of thalidomide in National Sanatorium Oku-Komyoen, Okayama, Setouchi-city, Japan.

Axonal spherical bodies in the peripheral nerves of leprosy patients.

Spherical bodies, roughly 10 micro m in diameter, which have not been reported before, were found in the peripheral nerve axons of specimens collected during post-mortem examination of leprosy patients. These bodies were found in the fascicles of all peripheral nerves of the extremities examined (median, radial, ulnar, peroneal and sciatic nerves). Their incidence was not related to the type of leprosy.