title: [The current challenge of imported leprosy in Spain: a study of 7 cases].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  although the foci of leprosy once present in Spain are now under control and almost inactive, isolated cases are still occasionally diagnosed. Meanwhile, population migration has brought about an increase in the incidence of cases corresponding to individuals from countries where leprosy is endemic, leading to changes in the epidemiology of this disease.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  the aim of this paper was to describe the clinical, epidemiologic, dermatologic, microbiologic, and therapeutic characteristics of cases of leprosy in our department in the last 5 years.
  
  
  METHODS
  we report the cases of imported leprosy seen in our department between 2004 and 2009.
  
  
  RESULTS
  seven patients with leprosy (3 men and 4 women; age range, 26-80 years) were diagnosed; 2 were cases of tuberculoid leprosy, 2 borderline tuberculoid leprosy, and 3 indeterminate. All patients acquired the disease in South American or South African countries, but were residing in Spain at the time of diagnosis. One patient was a Spaniard, from Malaga, who had worked as a missionary in Venezuela for 25 years. The presence of the bacterium by either Ziehl-Neelsen stain or bacilloscopy could not be demonstrated in any of the patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  we would like to draw attention to the changes we have observed in the characteristics of cases of leprosy seen in our department, the majority of which are imported. It is important to maintain a clinical suspicion of leprosy in cases of granulomatous dermatitis, particularly in patients from countries where the disease is endemic.
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Dermatología, Hospital Clínico Universitario Virgen de la Victoria, Málaga, Spain. torosmar1@hotmail.com
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Contreras-Steyls
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: López-Navarro
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Herrera-Acosta
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Castillo
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ruiz del Portal
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Bosch
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Herrera
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004641:Emigration and Immigration; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007918:Leprosy / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D014195:Travel