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Erythema Nodosum Leprosum as a Harbinger of Relapse in Multibacillary Leprosy: A Clinico-Histopathological Case Study Benedikta Lauda; Nurrachmat Mulianto
Bioscientia Medicina : Journal of Biomedicine and Translational Research Vol. 9 No. 12 (2025): Bioscientia Medicina: Journal of Biomedicine & Translational Research
Publisher : HM Publisher

Show Abstract | Download Original | Original Source | Check in Google Scholar | DOI: 10.37275/bsm.v9i12.1468

Abstract

Background: Leprosy, a chronic granulomatous disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae, presents formidable long-term management challenges. In the post-elimination era, differentiating a true bacteriological relapse from a late-onset Erythema Nodosum Leprosum (ENL) reaction in patients who have completed multidrug therapy (MDT) is a critical diagnostic dilemma. Misdiagnosis can lead to inappropriate treatment, risking disease progression and irreversible nerve damage. Case presentation: A 30-year-old male presented with a severe, systemic inflammatory illness two years after completing MDT for lepromatous leprosy. His symptoms included crops of painful, erythematous nodules, fever, and arthralgia. While clinically suggestive of a severe ENL reaction, a slit-skin smear revealed a paradoxically high bacterial index (BI) of +5 with a morphological index (MI) of 0%. A skin biopsy was performed for definitive diagnosis. Histopathology revealed a dual pathology: a diffuse infiltrate of foamy macrophages typical of lepromatous leprosy, alongside a dense neutrophilic panniculitis characteristic of ENL. Crucially, Fite-Faraco staining demonstrated vast numbers of intact, solid-staining acid-fast bacilli, providing unequivocal evidence of active bacterial proliferation. Conclusion: This case demonstrates that a diagnostic algorithm integrating a high index of clinical suspicion with comprehensive bacteriological and histopathological methods is essential for accurately identifying relapse masked by ENL. The presence of viable bacilli confirms that ENL can be a direct clinical harbinger of relapse, mandating a dual therapeutic strategy that combines aggressive anti-inflammatory treatment with the immediate re-initiation of MDT.
Erythema Nodosum Leprosum as a Harbinger of Relapse in Multibacillary Leprosy: A Clinico-Histopathological Case Study Benedikta Lauda; Nurrachmat Mulianto
Bioscientia Medicina : Journal of Biomedicine and Translational Research Vol. 9 No. 12 (2025): Bioscientia Medicina: Journal of Biomedicine & Translational Research
Publisher : HM Publisher

Show Abstract | Download Original | Original Source | Check in Google Scholar | DOI: 10.37275/bsm.v9i12.1468

Abstract

Background: Leprosy, a chronic granulomatous disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae, presents formidable long-term management challenges. In the post-elimination era, differentiating a true bacteriological relapse from a late-onset Erythema Nodosum Leprosum (ENL) reaction in patients who have completed multidrug therapy (MDT) is a critical diagnostic dilemma. Misdiagnosis can lead to inappropriate treatment, risking disease progression and irreversible nerve damage. Case presentation: A 30-year-old male presented with a severe, systemic inflammatory illness two years after completing MDT for lepromatous leprosy. His symptoms included crops of painful, erythematous nodules, fever, and arthralgia. While clinically suggestive of a severe ENL reaction, a slit-skin smear revealed a paradoxically high bacterial index (BI) of +5 with a morphological index (MI) of 0%. A skin biopsy was performed for definitive diagnosis. Histopathology revealed a dual pathology: a diffuse infiltrate of foamy macrophages typical of lepromatous leprosy, alongside a dense neutrophilic panniculitis characteristic of ENL. Crucially, Fite-Faraco staining demonstrated vast numbers of intact, solid-staining acid-fast bacilli, providing unequivocal evidence of active bacterial proliferation. Conclusion: This case demonstrates that a diagnostic algorithm integrating a high index of clinical suspicion with comprehensive bacteriological and histopathological methods is essential for accurately identifying relapse masked by ENL. The presence of viable bacilli confirms that ENL can be a direct clinical harbinger of relapse, mandating a dual therapeutic strategy that combines aggressive anti-inflammatory treatment with the immediate re-initiation of MDT.
Dose- and Time-Dependent Efficacy of Topical Hydroquinone in Establishing a C57BL/6 Mouse Model of Vitiligo Benedikta Lauda; Nurrachmat Mulianto; Endra Yustin Ellistasari; Muhammad Eko Irawanto
Bioscientia Medicina : Journal of Biomedicine and Translational Research Vol. 10 No. 1 (2026): Bioscientia Medicina: Journal of Biomedicine & Translational Research
Publisher : HM Publisher

Show Abstract | Download Original | Original Source | Check in Google Scholar | DOI: 10.37275/bsm.v10i1.1481

Abstract

Background: Vitiligo is a complex autoimmune depigmenting disorder driven by melanocyte-specific CD8+ T cells, oxidative stress, and genetic susceptibility. The lack of standardized, accessible animal models that recapitulate these pathways hinders therapeutic development. This study aimed to systematically optimize and validate a chemically-induced vitiligo model in C57BL/6 mice. Methods: Eighty (80) male C57BL/6 mice were randomized into ten groups (n=8/group). Experimental groups received once-daily topical applications of hydroquinone (HQ) at 2.5%, 5%, or 10%, or monobenzone (MBZ) at 40% for 8 or 16 days. Vehicle-treated mice served as controls. Efficacy was assessed via quantitative histopathology (Masson-Fontana staining for melanin area), biomolecular assays for oxidative stress (Malondialdehyde [MDA] and Superoxide Dismutase [SOD]), and RT-qPCR for melanogenesis-related (Tyr) and inflammation-related (Tnf) gene expression. Results: A clear dose- and time-dependent depigmentation was observed. The 10% HQ 16-day protocol was maximally effective, inducing a profound reduction in epidermal melanin area (0.06 ± 0.02) compared to 16-day controls (0.40 ± 0.04; p < 0.001). This histopathological finding was significantly correlated with severe cutaneous oxidative stress, evidenced by a 3.75-fold increase in MDA (p < 0.001) and a 50% reduction in SOD activity (p < 0.001) versus controls. Furthermore, this regimen caused a potent suppression of Tyr expression (0.15-fold change; p < 0.001) and a significant upregulation of the pro-inflammatory cytokine Tnf (3.8-fold change; p < 0.001). Conclusion: The 16-day topical application of 10% hydroquinone is a reliable, rapid, and highly reproducible protocol for inducing vitiligo-like depigmentation in C57BL/6 mice. This model successfully recapitulates key pathophysiological pillars of human vitiligo, including melanocytotoxicity, profound oxidative stress, and a pro-inflammatory cutaneous environment, establishing it as a valuable platform for preclinical therapeutic screening.
Dose- and Time-Dependent Efficacy of Topical Hydroquinone in Establishing a C57BL/6 Mouse Model of Vitiligo Benedikta Lauda; Nurrachmat Mulianto; Endra Yustin Ellistasari; Muhammad Eko Irawanto
Bioscientia Medicina : Journal of Biomedicine and Translational Research Vol. 10 No. 1 (2026): Bioscientia Medicina: Journal of Biomedicine & Translational Research
Publisher : HM Publisher

Show Abstract | Download Original | Original Source | Check in Google Scholar | DOI: 10.37275/bsm.v10i1.1481

Abstract

Background: Vitiligo is a complex autoimmune depigmenting disorder driven by melanocyte-specific CD8+ T cells, oxidative stress, and genetic susceptibility. The lack of standardized, accessible animal models that recapitulate these pathways hinders therapeutic development. This study aimed to systematically optimize and validate a chemically-induced vitiligo model in C57BL/6 mice. Methods: Eighty (80) male C57BL/6 mice were randomized into ten groups (n=8/group). Experimental groups received once-daily topical applications of hydroquinone (HQ) at 2.5%, 5%, or 10%, or monobenzone (MBZ) at 40% for 8 or 16 days. Vehicle-treated mice served as controls. Efficacy was assessed via quantitative histopathology (Masson-Fontana staining for melanin area), biomolecular assays for oxidative stress (Malondialdehyde [MDA] and Superoxide Dismutase [SOD]), and RT-qPCR for melanogenesis-related (Tyr) and inflammation-related (Tnf) gene expression. Results: A clear dose- and time-dependent depigmentation was observed. The 10% HQ 16-day protocol was maximally effective, inducing a profound reduction in epidermal melanin area (0.06 ± 0.02) compared to 16-day controls (0.40 ± 0.04; p < 0.001). This histopathological finding was significantly correlated with severe cutaneous oxidative stress, evidenced by a 3.75-fold increase in MDA (p < 0.001) and a 50% reduction in SOD activity (p < 0.001) versus controls. Furthermore, this regimen caused a potent suppression of Tyr expression (0.15-fold change; p < 0.001) and a significant upregulation of the pro-inflammatory cytokine Tnf (3.8-fold change; p < 0.001). Conclusion: The 16-day topical application of 10% hydroquinone is a reliable, rapid, and highly reproducible protocol for inducing vitiligo-like depigmentation in C57BL/6 mice. This model successfully recapitulates key pathophysiological pillars of human vitiligo, including melanocytotoxicity, profound oxidative stress, and a pro-inflammatory cutaneous environment, establishing it as a valuable platform for preclinical therapeutic screening.