Many operations have been described for the correction of claw hands following involvement in leprosy, from Sir Harold Stiles (1922) of Edinburgh, through Bunnell, Brand and many others in India and USA. Some of these procedures are classified "static" and attempt mainly to correct hyper-extension at the metacarpo-phalangeal joint, while the "dynamic" procedures employ a variety of tendon graft operations to restore the function of the paralysed lumbrical muscles. This study is an analysis of the four-tailed tendon graft operation of Paul Brand, carried out in the National Leprosy Con. trol Centre, Sungei Buloh, Selangor, during the period 1965·175, by a host of surgeons, mainly by Dr M.K. Bhojwani, MRCP, FRCSEd, the Director of the Centre at that time. The analysis carried out during November. December 1976, was made on 36 hands in 33 patients; it revealed an average improvement in the metacarpo. Phalangeal joint flexion of nearly 90% and in the proximal interphalangeal joint extension in nearly 80%, and an improvement in the grafted lumbrical voluntary motor tone of nearly 70%.
The proliferative responses of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) to Mycobacterium leprae and BCG were studied in two groups of leprosy patients: a group of 8 lepromatous patients who had been on treatment for more than 20 years (TLL) and a group of 8 untreated lepromatous leprosy patients (ULL). The mean response to M. leprae of the TLL group was 6195 cpm with 5 of the 8 patients responding positively. The mean response to M. leprae of the ULL group was 617 cpm, with only 1 patient showing a positive response. The corresponding proliferative responses to BCG were 19,908 cpm in the TLL group and 7908 in the ULL group. Thirteen M. leprae reactive clones were established from 2 TLL patients and 5 M. leprae reactive clones were established from 2 tuberculoid leprosy patients. Seven of these clones, 4 from the TLL patients and 3 from the tuberculoid (TT) patients could be studied further. Three of the TLL clones responded specifically to M. leprae, while one of the clones exhibited a broad cross-reactivity to other mycobacteria. All of these clones were of the CD4+CD8- phenotype. Our findings suggest that responsiveness to M. leprae can be detected in vitro in a proportion of LL patients who have undergone prolonged chemotherapy, and that this response involves M. leprae reactive CD8+CD8- T cells, of which some appear to be specific to M. leprae.
The objectives in this epidemiology review are to measure and report the extent of morbidity and mortality due to tuberculosis (TB), the proportion of new sputum smear positive cases in districts and the status of cohort analysis as of 1999. As for leprosy, the main objective is to determine morbidity and the treatment outcomes of Multiple Drug Therapy (MDT). Based on the results obtained, a comprehensive action plan for prevention, control and monitoring of tuberculosis and leprosy cases and patients is being produced and implemented throughout the state. The analysis concentrated on patients diagnosed at all out-patient units and admitted in all of the state's hospitals. The patient particulars were recorded using a standardized format based on TB and Leprosy Health Management Information System (TB HMIS). TB was the second highest by notification of communicable diseases in Malaysia in 2001. 29% or about one-third of the national TB cases are from Sabah. However, it has been noted that there was an average decline of 2.6% in annual notification since 10 years ago to date. There was also a reduction of 11.4% in 2001 as compared to annual notification in 2000. Immigrants contribute more than 24% in detection of new cases since 1990. Treatment success rate in term of completion of treatment to date is 82%. Mortality rate has steadily declined from 14 deaths to 7 deaths per 100,000 population. Leprosy in Sabah also contributes to 30% of the yearly total caseload of Malaysia and has the highest notification rate of 2 per every 100,000 population as compared to other states. The average registered leprosy cases over the past 5 years are 239 cases and the prevalence rate is 0.7/10,000 population. The state has successfully achieved its goal to decrease leprosy as per the World Health Organization (WHO) goal of yearly overall prevalence rate of less than 1 case for every 10,000 population. However, the districts of Kudat, Tawau, Lahad Datu, Kota Kinabalu and Semporna are still within the prevalence rate of more than one per 10,000 population. This review highlights some interesting findings which can be incorporated into the State and Districts action plans and strategies. It is also noted that in order to translate National Plans and Strategies into effective action at the community level, health workers need relevant up-to-date knowledge of the pattern of health and disease, and of their determinants, in each district. The Sabah Health Department continues to organize and support programs related to management and control of tuberculosis and leprosy to progressively reduce the incidence of these diseases in the community by breaking the chain of transmission of Mycobacterium tuberculosis and M. leprae, respectively.
Study site: outpatient clinics, inpatients, hospitals, Sabah, Malaysia
The response to lepromin and Kveim antigens was compared and studied in 15 leprosy patients who were tuberculin negative. Of the 11 lepromin positive tuberculoid patients, 4 were Kveim positive, 1 was equivocal, and the rest were negative. Of the four lepromin negative lepromatous patients, one gave a positive Kveim test while the other three were negative. It has been shown that false-positive Kveim reactions are found in a higher percentage of South Indian leprosy patients than in those of other backgrounds, such as Japanese and Malaysian Chinese patients. It is also suggested that no definite relationship exists between the reaction of leprosy patients to lepromin and Kveim antigens. We further suggest that the anergy exhibited by lepromatous patients to the antigen of M. leprae is specific, as evidenced by the positive Kveim response in one lepromatous patient.
Using a trial design previously evolved at Sungei Buloh Leprosarium, a pilot trial was performed of B.663, in the dosage of 100 mgm. twice weekly, in eight patients with previously untreated lepromatous leprosy. The therapeutic results, as measured by clinical, bacteriologic and histologic assessment, and especially by the rate of fall of the morphologic index, were similar to those obtained with sulfone therapy or with 0.663 in the dosage of 300 mgm. daily. Although B.663 pigmentation was produced in all eight patients, it developed more slowly and was less intense than with standard dosage. Difficulties resulting from skin discoloration in assessing the clinical progress of patients on B.663 are discussed.
Kveim tests using a validated material have been undertaken in Malaysia on 39 patients (32 Chinese; 4 Malay and 3 Aboriginal) with lepromatous or tuberculoid leprosy. All the patients had been treated for leprosy, most for two or more years. The tests were read microscopically. Of the 21 lepromatous patients one gave a weak positive and two an equivocal Kveim test whereas four of the nine tuberculoid patients gave equivocal or weak Kveim positivity. Only the tuberculoid form elicits a higher proportion of granulomas than might be expected in a comparable normal population. Of nine patients (8 lepromatous; 1 tuberculoid ) who failed to sensitize well to tuberculin
following two BCG vaccinations, two gave equivocal Kveim tests similar in appearance to those in the other groups.
Congo red screening of routine biopsies at the University Hospital Kuala Lumpur revealed the following categories of amyloidosis: systemic AL (5.9%); systemic AA (3.2%); isolated atrial (14%); primary localized cutaneous (7.5%); other primary localized deposits (3.2%); localized intratumour (58%); and dystrophic (8.6%). Unlike in the West, AA amyloidosis in this population was usually secondary to leprosy or tuberculosis. Liver involvement in AL amyloidosis was shown to exhibit a sinusoidal pattern and differed from the vascular pattern of AA amyloidosis. Within the category of AA amyloidosis, there were two patterns of renal involvement--glomerular and vascular, with the glomerular pattern carrying a more ominous clinical picture. Notable among the localized amyloidoses were isolated atrial amyloidosis complicating chronic rheumatic heart disease, intratumour amyloidosis within nasopharyngeal carcinomas and dystrophic amyloidosis which occurred in fibrotic tissues.
The findings of autopsies performed on 35 leprosy subjects in the University Hospital, Kuala Lumpur, between January 1981 and December 1985 are presented. This is the first report based on autopsy findings from Malaysia. The patients were elderly subjects with a mean age of 74 years. Sixty-six percent had lepromatous leprosy. None had active skin lesions. The most common cause of death was pyogenic infection, particularly bronchopneumonia. Tuberculosis was noted in 25% of the cases. The other important causes of death included cardiac and renal failure. Renal lesions were evident in 71% of the cases, and the most common pathology was interstitial nephritis. Generalized amyloidosis complicated six (17%) patients.
An account is given of the first hundred consecutive proven cases of sulphone resistance in leprosy, detected in Malaysia between 1963 and 1974. Proof of resistance was clinical in eighty patients and was obtained by drug-sensitivity testing in mice in ninety-six patients; 76 cases were proved both clinically and experimentally, and there was no discrepancy between the two methods. Sulphone resistance was confined to patients with lepromatous-type leprosy--i.e., patients with a large bacterial population. Clinical evidence of relapse due to drug resistance appeared 5-24 years after the start of sulphone treatment. Low dosage favoured the appearance of resistance; therefore regular treatment of lepromatous leprosy with dapsone in full dosage is recommended. The attainment of "skin smears negative for leprosy bacilli" is no test of cure of lepromatous leprosy.
This paper reviews a number of biomedical engineering approaches to help aid in the detection and treatment of tropical diseases such as dengue, malaria, cholera, schistosomiasis, lymphatic filariasis, ebola, leprosy, leishmaniasis, and American trypanosomiasis (Chagas). Many different forms of non-invasive approaches such as ultrasound, echocardiography and electrocardiography, bioelectrical impedance, optical detection, simplified and rapid serological tests such as lab-on-chip and micro-/nano-fluidic platforms and medical support systems such as artificial intelligence clinical support systems are discussed. The paper also reviewed the novel clinical diagnosis and management systems using artificial intelligence and bioelectrical impedance techniques for dengue clinical applications.
Leprosy is a granulomatous disease primarily affecting the skin and peripheral nerves caused by Mycobacterium leprae, but also significantly involving sinonasal cavities and cranial nerves. It continues to be a significant public health problem, and despite multidrug therapy, it can still cause significant morbidity. The awareness of cranial nerve, intracranial and orbital apex involvement as in our case is important for appropriate treatment measures.
Leprosy is a chronic infectious disease and is still a public health problem in Malaysia. In 1926, the Leper Enactment Act was established which required compulsory notification and isolation of leprosy patients. As a result, the National Leprosy Control Centre (NLCC) was built in Sungai Buloh, Selangor. In 1969, the National Leprosy Control programme was launched with the objective of early case finding and decentralisation of treatment of leprosy. The treatment of leprosy patients is integrated with basic Medical and Health services in Malaysia. With the implementation of multiple drug therapy in 1985, the National prevalence rate of leprosy has reduced from 5.7 per 10,000 in 1983 to 1.7 per 10,000 in 1992. The Research Unit in NLCC was established in 1950, where cultivation of Mycobacterium leprae using mouse foot-pad technique is done. This technique is used for assessment of efficacy of chemotherapeutic agents in leprosy. Research activites are also done in collaboration with the Institute for Medical Research in Kuala Lumpur such as isolation of Mycobacterium leprae antigen using T cell clones and phenolic glycolipid antigen.
Matched MeSH terms: Leprosy/drug therapy; Leprosy/epidemiology*; Leprosy/prevention & control
Chest radiography, or chest X-ray (CXR), is not only an important tool for triaging and screening for pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) but is also useful in aiding diagnosis when pulmonary TB cannot be confirmed bacteriologically. Sabah is a state with high TB burden with the incidence rate of 124/100,000 population in 2015. Access to chest radiography is limited in many settings in Sabah. In 2016, the TB and Leprosy Control Unit of Sabah State Health Department started systematic screening for TB with the help of a mobile digital X-ray unit.
The genus Hydnocarpus (Flacourtiaceae) includes forty species that are spread across the globe. In the Indian System of Medicine, Hydnocarpus pentandrus (Buch.-Ham.) Oken. is primarily used for treating leprosy and other skin disorders. It is known as "Chaulmoogra" and is also used to treat other indications including constipation, inflammation, blood disorders, and worm infestations. Various species of Hydnocarpus are also used in traditional medicine in China, Thailand, Malaysia, and Myanmar for several skin disorders. To assess the therapeutic potential of species from the Hydnocarpus genus and to determine future avenues for research.