Necrotizing erythema nodosumin lepromatous leprosy associated with mixed infection by Mycobacterium lepromatosis and Mycobacterium leprae. Case report

Abstract

Leprosy is a disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae. Its chronic evolution is sometimes interrupted by immunological conditions called leprosy reaction in patients with high bacillary load. These immunological conditions increase morbidity and can be complicated, becoming life threatening. In the spectrum of these reactions, some characterized by vasculonecrotic lesions have been described, such as Lucio's Phenomenon and Necrotizing Lepromatous Nodus Erythem, which are associated with diffuse lepromatous leprosy and the species of bacilli just described, Mycobacterium lepromatosis. We present a 21-year-old female patient, who during specific treatment for multibacillary leprosy presented recurrent pictures of erythema nodosum that evolved to the necrotizing form. In this patient, the simultaneous presence of M. leprae and M. lepromatosis as the cause of the disease was determined through molecular biology. This case represents the first communication of M. lepromatosis in Paraguay, and also the first dual infection as a causative agent of leprosy, in association with M. leprae.