Clinical observations on leprosy patients with HIV-1-infection in Zambia

Abstract

The clinical observations carried out on 10 leprosy patients with HIV1-infection, admitted between 1.1.1986 and 1.5.1988 to the Salvation Army Hospital at Chikankata, Mazabuka, Zambia are described. A total of 8 of this group were newly-diagnosed borderline leprosy patients. Their clinical data were compared with those of 34 newly-diagnosed borderline leprosy patients, admitted in the same period - 50% were men, 50% women. The clinical presentation, with respect to leprosy, on admission, did not differ very much in both groups. The incidence of neuritis in both groups was 50% (respectively 5 and 17). The outcome of specific therapy of neuritis was worse in the HIV1 patients than in the other group: only partial recovery in 4 out of 5 and no response in 1, compared with a complete recovery in 10 cases, and a partial recovery in 7 cases in the other group. A total of 6 patients of the HIV1-group admitted to have had multiple heterosexual contacts, 5 had a history of sexually transmitted disease, 7 had generalized lymphadenopathy and 4 presented with another disease in addition to leprosy. While in hospital the group of 10 HIV1-infected patients suffered 17 episodes of intercurrent disease against none in the other group; 1 patient (male) died with generalized dermatitis and sepsis; 1 woman died with fulminant hepatitis.