Leprosy: Trophic Skin Ulcers

Skinmed. 2017 Feb 1;15(1):45-51. eCollection 2017.

Abstract

Leprosy is a chronic infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae. Approximately 30% of patients with leprosy develop nerve damage. Trophic, or neuropathic, ulcer is a common complication of an anesthetic foot. The term plantar, trophic, or perforating ulcer was introduced in 1959. It was defined as a chronic ulceration of the anesthetic foot, situated in well-defined areas overlying bony prominences, resistant to local and/or systemic therapy, and characterized by a marked tendency to recur. It is responsible for much of the morbidity associated with leprosy.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Chronic Disease
  • Endemic Diseases / statistics & numerical data*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Leprosy / drug therapy*
  • Leprosy / epidemiology*
  • Leprosy / pathology
  • Male
  • Mycobacterium leprae / pathogenicity
  • Prevalence
  • Prognosis
  • Recurrence
  • Risk Assessment
  • Skin Ulcer / drug therapy
  • Skin Ulcer / etiology*
  • Skin Ulcer / pathology
  • Survival Rate