Breen D P, Deeb J, Vaidya S, Lockwood D N, Radunovic A
DP Breen, National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, 33 Queen Square, London WC1N 3BG, UK. Email
J R Coll Physicians Edinb. 2015 Mar;45(1):38-42. doi: 10.4997/JRCPE.2015.109.
Leprosy (or Hansen's disease) is a curable chronic infectious disease caused by the acid-fast bacillus Mycobacterium leprae. While leprosy remains one of the most common causes of neuropathy worldwide, its rarity in the UK means that many doctors are unfamiliar with the typical clinical features. This is problematic because early recognition and treatment is vital in order to minimise disease-related complications such as nerve injury. We describe a 75-year-old man who presented with multiple mononeuropathy (mononeuritis multiplex, particularly affecting the ulnar nerves) and typical granulomatous skin lesions, in whom the diagnosis was made on the basis of skin biopsy. We highlight the clinical features, investigations and treatment of the patient, and provide information about the epidemiology and pathogenesis of leprosy.
麻风病（或汉森氏病）是一种由抗酸杆菌麻风分枝杆菌引起的可治愈的慢性传染病。虽然麻风病仍是全球神经病最常见的病因之一，但在英国较为罕见，这意味着许多医生对其典型临床特征并不熟悉。这会带来问题，因为早期识别和治疗对于将诸如神经损伤等与疾病相关的并发症降至最低至关重要。我们描述了一名75岁男性，他表现为多发性单神经病（多灶性单神经炎，尤其累及尺神经）和典型的肉芽肿性皮肤损害，最终通过皮肤活检确诊。我们重点介绍了该患者的临床特征、检查和治疗情况，并提供了有关麻风病流行病学和发病机制的信息。
