Autochthonous leprosy in Europe: a case report and literature review

Abstract

Leprosy is currently uncommon in Europe: the diagnosed cases are almost all imported from endemic areas.We report on an autochthonous case of borderline lepromatous leprosy in a 71-year-old Portuguese woman. The case was complicated by a reversal reaction and then by erythema nodosum leprosum.A literature review identified 18 reported cases of European autochthonous leprosy since 2000; all but one were observed in Mediterranean countries. Therefore, active clusters of leprosy persist in Europe, particularly in Spain, Greece, Portugal, and Italy.

Keywords

• Autochthonous leprosy
• Hansen's disease
• Europe
• Immune reactions