DIFFUSE LEPROMATOUS LEPROSY OF MEXICO (SPOTTED LEPROSY OF LUCIO)

Abstract

LUCIO described in 1852,1in Mexico, a remarkable variety of leprosy distinguished chiefly by the appearance of circumscribed erythematous macules on the extremities which went on to vesiculation, superficial necrosis and scarring. Patients presenting these lesions always had more or less extensive anesthesia, and nasal obstruction and loss of eyebrows occurred regularly among them. They did not, however, manifest any of the circumscribed skin lesions associated with the usual forms of leprosy, i. e., hypopigmented macules, nodules (lepromas) or elevated plaques; indeed, Lucio failed to recognize any specific lesions of their skin, aside from the remarkable macules. These macules were so characteristic that they gave rise to the namelepra manchada, or spotted leprosy. It remained for subsequent observers, notably Latapi and Chevez,2to establish the fact that in these patients the entire skin is the seat of a uniform and diffuse lepromatous infiltration, which