Cytomorphology of leprosy across the Ridley-Jopling spectrum.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the possible role of cytology in classifying leprosy lesions on the Ridley-Jopling scale.

STUDY DESIGN

A double-blind, prospective study comparing cytologic assessment of 30 clinically diagnosed cases of leprosy with their histopathology. May-Grünwald-Giemsa and Ziehl-Neelsen stain were done on slit skin smears and fine needle aspiration material.

RESULTS

Cytologic subclassification was possible in 23 cases as tuberculoid leprosy (11), midborderline (3), borderline lepromatous (5) and lepromatous leprosy (4). These correlated with histologic subtypes.

CONCLUSION

May-Grünwald-Giemsa complements Ziehl-Neelsen stain, yielding information almost comparable to that from histologic examination of skin biopsies.