[Autochthonal leprosy].
BACKGROUND
In continental France, Hansen's disease is now a strictly imported disease. Native contamination is rare since the foyers described early in the century have totally disappeared.


METHODS
A case of locally acquired diffuse lepromatous Hansen's disease was observed in a patient who developed acrocyanosis with distal necrosis over a period of several years. Late cutaneomucal signs led to the diagnosis of Hansen's disease after eliminating sarcoidosis and tuberculosis. Skin biopsy with Ziehl stain confirmed the lepromatous nature of the disease. In addition the patient had undergone splenectomy following trauma and also developed babesiasis (a rare protozoan disease in Europe--15 cases reported--similar to Texas fever).


CONCLUSIONS
The source of infection in this case of Hansen's disease was not found. As in the other cases reported in the literature, late diagnosis due to lack of any suggestive context allowed the disease to develop into an advanced stage.
Cormier-Lebreton
M N
MN
Service de Dermatologie, Centre Hospitalier du Mans.
Célérier
P
P
Pasquiou
C
C
D000671:Amputation, Surgical; D001404:Babesiosis / Q000150:complications; D003951:Diagnostic Errors; D005385:Fingers / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D015440:Leprosy, Lepromatous / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012867:Skin / Q000473:pathology
Lèpre autochtone.