AUTOCHTON LEPROSY

Introduction. In continental France, Hansen's disease is now a strictl y imported disease. Native contamination is rare since the foyers desc ribed early in the century have totally disappeared. Case report. A ca se of locally acquired diffuse lepromatous Hansen's disease was observ ed 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. S kin biopsy with Ziehl stain confirmed the lepromatous nature of the di sease. In addition the patient had undergone splenectomy following tra uma and also developed babesiasis (a rare protozoan disease in Europe- 15 cases reported-similar to Texas fever). Discussion. The source of i nfection in this case of Hansen's disease was not found. As in the oth er cases reported in the literature, late diagnosis due to lack of any suggestive context allowed the disease to develop into an advanced st age.