From the Research
Characteristics of Tuberculoid Leprosy
- Tuberculoid leprosy is characterized by cutaneous lesions called plaques 1
- It is also known as Paucibacillary leprosy, indicating a lower bacterial load compared to Multibacillary leprosy 2, 3
- The disease is marked by a strong Th1-type cell response with localized lesions 3, 4
- Granuloma-activated macrophages kill Mycobacterium leprae in conjunction with a Th1 response 2, 4
Clinical Presentation
- Tuberculoid leprosy presents with well-demarcated granulomas, infiltrated by CD4+ T lymphocytes, containing epitheloid and multinucleated giant cells 4
- The clinical presentation is characterized by asymmetric skin lesions with sensory loss, but without peripheral nerve involvement in some cases 5
- The disease can occur in patients with other underlying conditions, such as childhood-onset systemic lupus erythematosus (c-SLE) 5
Immune Response
- The immune response in tuberculoid leprosy is characterized by the production of IFN-γ and IL-2, which activates macrophages to kill intracellular pathogens 3, 4
- The Th1 response is dominant in tuberculoid leprosy, whereas a Th2 response is characteristic of lepromatous leprosy 3, 4
- Regulatory T cells, such as Treg and natural killer T cells, play a crucial role in deciding the polarized state of T cell immunity in leprosy 3