Aspecto linear da hanseníase borderline em paciente do sexo feminino: uma apresentação atípica de lesão no tegumento

Abstract

Leprosy is a chronic infection influenced by the immune response of each host, and its inflammatory immunopathology can present both neural and dermatological manifestations. This case involves a 17-year-old female patient, phototype IV, diagnosed with leprosy, who developed a hypochromic, erythematous, infiltrated linear plaque along the ulnar pathway, accompanied by claw hand deformity in the right upper limb. Additionally, complementary examinations, including histopathological analysis, confirmed the diagnosis of borderline leprosy. During the second month of clinical follow-up, the patient’s β-HCG test returned positive, indicating pregnancy. Literature suggests that the heterogeneous cutaneous presentation observed in DD leprosy reflects an intensely variable immune response, with lesions oscillating between the multibacillary and paucibacillary poles of the disease spectrum. This leprous lesion exhibits a unique aspect not documented in the literature, highlighting the need for further investigation into these diverse manifestations in order to prevent misdiagnosis and facilitate early treatment.