Oral lesions in leprosy revisited: a case report

There is a scarcity of the histopathologically proven lesions of leprosy in the oral cavity, in the world literature. A 55-year-old man had come with a complaint of asymptomatic nodular lesions in the oral cavity. Cutaneous lesions and peripheral nerve examination were suggestive of lepromatous leprosy. Histopathologic examination of a nodule on the palate demonstrated diffuse macrophagic granulomas and acid-fast bacilli.     

Exogenous ochronosis After Prolonged Use of Topical Hydroquinone (2%) in a 50-Year-Old Indian Female

Ochronosis is a rare disease characterized by speckled and diffuse pigmentation symmetrically over the face, neck, and photo-exposed areas. It is characterized histologically by banana-shaped ochre-colored deposits in the dermis. It can present in exogenous or endogenous form. We report a case of exogenous ochronosis in a 50-year-old Indian woman after prolonged use of topical hydroquinone which is a rare complication with a commonly used drug which is available over the counter.     

Parvovirus B-19 induced acute pure red cell aplasia in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia and neurofibromatosis type-1

Parvovirus B19 induced pure red cell aplasia (PRCA) has been previously reported in a variety of settings. We present two cases, an adult patient with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and a child with neurofibromatosis type-1 (NF-1), where the abrupt appearance of severe anemia raised ominous clinical suspicions. Evidence of recent parvovirus B19 infection in association with the selective erythroid precursor deficiency in marrow helped exclude other etiologies. We emphasize the importance of bearing this infectious agent in mind, even when there are associated disorders (such as CLL) that may independently cause PRCA. An association of NF-1 with acute PRCA has not been described in indexed English literature in the past.