Leprosy Mimicking as Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Case Report

Abstract

Leprosy is a chronic granulomatous infection caused by Mycobacterium leprae, which mainly damages the skin and peripheral nerves, and can also infect joints and bones. Clinical manifestations are complex, varied, and often underdiagnosed. The clinical manifestations vary and are called "the great imitator". musculoskeletal features are common in leprosy but infrequently reported. A case of borderline lepromatous (BL) type leprosy was initially suspected as rheumatoid arthritis in a 20-year-old Balinese male who complained of pain and swelling in small joints, accompanied by lesions in the form of multiple erythema macules, round-shaped geography, indistinct boundaries, with bilateral distribution is almost symmetrical in the face, thoracoabdominal, and extremity regions. The diagnosis of BL type leprosy is based on history taking, physical examination, and investigations in the form of Ziehl-Neelsen stain and blood tests.