Self-reported clinical history of misdiagnosed leprosy cases in the State of Mato Grosso, Brazil, 2016-2019

Abstract

This study aimed to analyze the self-reported clinical history of patients misdiagnosed with leprosy in the State of Mato Grosso, Brazil. This is a cross-sectional study of new leprosy cases diagnosed in the State of Mato Grosso from 2016 to 2019, with individuals who were released from multidrug therapy due to misdiagnosis after starting treatment. Data were collected via telephone interviews. Over the study period, 354 leprosy cases were released from treatment due to misdiagnosis, of which 162 (45.8%) could be interviewed. All interviewees expressed dissatisfaction with their treatment, which prompted them to seek a reevaluation of their diagnosis before they were released due to "misdiagnosis". Among them, 35.8% received a final diagnosis of a musculoskeletal or connective tissue disease - mainly fibromyalgia and degenerative changes in the spine - followed by 13.6% with diagnoses of skin and subcutaneous tissue diseases. For 23.5% of the respondents, no alternative diagnosis was established, whereas 7.4% were later re-diagnosed with leprosy. Fibromyalgia and spinal problems were the most common alternative diagnoses for erroneous leprosy. Although the diagnosis of leprosy is usually clinical and does not require access to technical infrastructure in most cases, some more complex situations require diagnostic support via complementary tests, as well as close collaboration between primary care and reference services.