Lepromatous leprosy: case report

Hansen's disease or leprosy is a chronic infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae. As old as man himself, those who suffer from it continue to be marginalized and stigmatized as they were thousands of years ago. The World Health Organization (WHO), has developed a program aimed at preventing, diagnosing in a timely manner and treating it appropriately. In many cases, patients with leprosy are diagnosed late, accompanied by irreversible disabilities. For this reason, it is appropriate to present a clinical case of lepromatous leprosy, with late diagnosis and grade 2 disability, who was treated in de Dermatology Service of the Dr. Leon Cuervo Rubio teaching clinical surgical hospital in Pinar del Rio, due to skin lesions, with loss of sensitivity and bone resorption, of 5 years of evolution. A bacilloscopy was indicated which confirmed the diagnosis of lepromatous leprosy, so combined polychemotherapy was started, although he is still under treatment. It is vitally important to continue training the Basic Health Team to be able to make early diagnoses of leprosy at the primary care level, thus avoiding the appearance of disabilities.