Oro-facial manifestations of 100 leprosy patients

OBJECTIVES To verify the frequency of oral and facial involvement in diagnosed leprosy patients. STUDY DESIGN This study was performed on 100 leprosy patients (62 male, 38 female, mean ages 51.86±6.1). After explaining the study design, we studied descriptive information including: patient' s sex, age, job, place of birth, familial history of leprosy, types of disease (lepromatous, borderline and tuberculoid leprosy), ocular and oral lesions, facial involvement and neuropathy. The statistical signification was measured by chi-square test. RESULTS A total of 46 (23 lepromatous, 15 borderline, and 8 tuberculoid leprosy) out of 100 patients with leprosy had oral lesions. Statistical analysis did not show any significant difference in frequency of oral lesions between different types of disease. Facial lesions were presented in 57 (39 lepromatous, 10 borderline, and 8 tuberculoid leprosy) patients. There was a statistical significant difference in frequency of facial manifestations between different types of leprosy. It has to be mentioned that, atrophy of nasal spine, facial nerve involvement, ocular lesions and facial deformity were seen in 15%, 17%, 22% and 44% of leprosy patients, respectively. CONCLUSION Examination of leprosy patients should be extended to the oral mucosa because oral mucosa may be a secondary source of M.Leprae transmission and infection.