A case report of a 73-year-old man with Leprosy from Zambia

Abstract

One of the leading causes of disability among infectious diseases is leprosy. Despite achieving the World Health Organisation (WHO) target for leprosy control, leprosy is still eminent in Zambia as well as in many other endemic regions such as West Africa and Asia-Pacific. It is evident that published numbers pertaining to prevalence may not give accurate values of prevalence on the ground due to factors such as loss of follow-up as leprosy patients often face stigma, hence poor healthcare seeking behaviour, patient exclusion from community, and barriers in research funding.

A 73-year-old male was admitted to the University Teaching Hospital with a history of long-standing wounds involving fingers and toes, which he described as painless. Physical examination revealed deformed feet and hands with no sensation on palpation. A skin biopsy was positive for Mycobacterium leprae. Based on the extent of distribution of the lesion, the patient was classified with a multibacillary subtype. Multidrug regimen treatment with dapsone, clofazimine, and rifampicin was initiated.

This case is evidence that leprosy is still present in our community, and delays in diagnosis and treatment usually lead to debilitating outcomes.