CYTOMORPHOLOGY OF LEPROSY ACROSS THE RIDLEY-JOPLING SPECTRUM

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the possible role of cytology in classifying le prosy lesions on the Ridley-Jopling scale. STUDY DESIGN: A double-blin d, prospective study comparing cytologic assessment of 30 clinically d iagnosed cases of leprosy with their histopathology. May-Grunwald-Giem sa and Ziehl-Neelsen stain were done on slit skin smears and fine need le aspiration material. RESULTS: Cytologic subclassification was possi ble in 23 cases as tuberculoid leprosy (11), midborderline (3), border line lepromatous (5) and lepromatous leprosy (4). These correlated wit h histologic subtypes. CONCLUSION: May-Grunwald-Giemsa complements Zie hl-Neelsen stain, yielding information almost comparable to that from histologic examination of skin biopsies.