Serum Zinc Level Estimation- Comparision between Normal Control and in Leprosy Patients: Clinical Presentations

Mycobacterium leprae causes leprosy, which is a chronic infectious disease. It mostly affects the body's cooler portions, such as the skin and peripheral nerves. Leprosy causes a variety of biochemical and immunological alterations in the body, as well as trace metals including zinc, copper, and magnesium. Zinc is the second most abundant trace element in the body, after iron. This study aimed to correlate with clinical manifestations wherever possible and to look into the level of serum zinc in leprosy patients. A total of 63 people with newly diagnosed leprosy were included in the study.The cases were then divided into clinical subgroups and compared to the controls. Venous blood samples were taken, and serum zinc levels were estimated using serum. The majority of patients (26.9) had Intermediate Leprosy, while the minority (1.58) had Histoid Leprosy. Pure tuberculoid and indeterminate leprosy patients had the lowest serum zinc levels, whereas pure lepromatous and Erythema nodosum leprosum patients had the highest, indicating that leprosy patients with higher bacterial loads had lower serum zinc levels. This suggests that there could be a correlation between serum zinc levels and bacillary load.