Concomitant infection with Mycobacterium leprae and Mycobacterium tuberculosis in an immunocompetent patient: A rare association

Abstract

Concomitant infection with Mycobacterium leprae and Mycobacterium tuberculosis in an immunocompetent patient: A rare association Leprosy is a chronic infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae, a microorganism that usually affects skin and nerves. Although it is well-controlled by multidrug therapy but the disease may be aggravated by acute inflammatory reaction that causes permanent tissue damage, particularly to peripheral nerves. Cutaneous tuberculosis (CT) is a variant of extrapulmonary tuberculosis. Both mycobacterial infections are endemic in developing countries like India, but the simultaneous occurrence of CT and leprosy is very rarely reported. Here, we are reporting a case of borderline lepromatous leprosy and CT (lupus vulgaris) co-infection in an immunocompetent patient, diagnosed simultaneously and managed accordingly.

Revisiting the tuberculosis and leprosy cross-immunity hypothesis: Expanding the dialogue between immunology and paleopathology

“…As explained earlier, LL patients have been shown to mount a lower cellular immunity and inflammatory response (i.e. lower TNFα response) and this could explain increased TB reactivation or dissemination (Rawson et al 2014), but most studies of modern populations that consider concomitant infection with TB and leprosy are case reports for one or few individuals (Ayra et al 2016;Mangum et al 2018;Sendrasoa et al 2015;Verma et al 2015). However, some modern populations offer a unique opportunity to study disease interaction and concomitant infection, as recently analyzed in Marshallese, Arkansas, US, where high rates of TB and leprosy are present.…”