According to the WHO operational classification used for deciding multidrug therapy regimens, a leprosy patient is labelled multibacillary when:
- A Slit-skin smear is positive at any site, regardless of the number of lesions
- B The lepromin test is negative
- C More than five skin lesions are present, or more than one nerve trunk is involved ✓
- D Histopathology shows Virchow cells irrespective of lesion count
Correct answer: C. More than five skin lesions are present, or more than one nerve trunk is involved
Explanation
The WHO operational classification relies on lesion count: paucibacillary disease means 1 to 5 skin lesions with only one nerve trunk involved, while multibacillary disease means more than five lesions or more than one nerve trunk. Smear positivity also places a patient in the multibacillary group, but a negative smear never downgrades a patient with more than five lesions to paucibacillary. The lepromin test is not used for this classification.
Reference: IAL Textbook of Leprosy, 2nd ed.
High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP
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