Korean J Dermatol.  1980 Dec;18(6):523-528.

A Study on the Clinical and Histopathologic Classification of Leprosy

• Chae SM
• Kim MY

Abstract

For comparison of clinical classification of leprosy to histopathologic classification, a detailed histopathologic study, using hematoxylin and eosin stain and Ziehl-Neelsen stain, was done on 72 fresh uncomplicated cases of leprosy. The clinical classification was done using the criteria of Ridley and Jopling (1966), and the microscopic features were classified according to Ridley's(1974) definition. Clinical classification revealed that 8 of total 72 patients had tuberculoid(TT), 9 had borderline tuberculoid (BT), 5 had borderline(BB), 10 had borderline lepromatous.(BL), and 31 had lepromatous leprosy(LL). Nine patients were claasified as indeterminate(I) group. Histopathologic classification showed that 3 cases presented tuberculoid(TT), 10 presented borderline tuberculoid(BT), 4 presented borderline(BB), 9 presented borderline lepromatous(BL), 20 presented subpolar leprornatous(LLs), and 10 presented polar lepromatous(LLp) histopathologic characteristics, Sixteen cases were classified as indeterminate(I) leprosy by histopathologic findings. On comparison of clinical classification to histopathologic classification, the two were in consonance with each other in 50 cases(69.4%) and the disparity between them was noticed in 22 cases(30.6%). Among the 22 cases which showed disparity, there was a shift of one step either towards the tuberculoid or lepromatous end of the spectrum in 15 cases, and ihe remaining 7 cases were classified as indeterminate group beaause of nonspecific histopathologic changes.

MeSH Terms

Classification*
Eosine Yellowish-(YS)
Hematoxylin
Humans
Leprosy*
Leprosy, Paucibacillary
Eosine Yellowish-(YS)
Hematoxylin