Virchowian hanseniasis of the scalp

• Autor(a) principal: FLEURY, R. N.
• Data de Publicação: 1976
• Outros Autores: OPROMOLLA, Diltor Vladimir Araújo, TOLENTINO, M. M., TONELLO, C. J. S.
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: por
• Título da fonte: Hansenologia Internationalis (Online)
• Texto Completo: https://periodicos.saude.sp.gov.br/hansenologia/article/view/35671
• topic: Hanseníase; Couro Cabeludo; Hanseniasis; Scalp

A study was made of the scalp involvement in 30 males suffering from active Virchowian hanseniasis (lepromatous leprosy,/). Clinical evaluations were made before and after the patients' heads were shaved and four "punch" biopsies were performed in standardized locations. The results showed that shaving increased the possibility of detection of clinical lesions, which are present in the large majority of the patients. These lesions were principally of the macular form. The results also showed the existence of alopecia related to the specific proc ess. Histopathologically, all patients showed signs of specific involvement either by the presence of infiltration or by the presence of bacilli in the core of infiltrated mononuclears. In spite of thisinvolvement, it could not be compared with that observed in the rest of the skin. The infiltrated areas were always discretely regressive. Bacilli were always few and granular. This finding demonstrates the anatomical peculiarities of the scalp, which is not a suitable local for the development of bacilli.