Hansen’s disease with Lucio’s phenomenon in a country in the post elimination era: A case report

Abstract

Leprosy is defined as a chronic granulomatous bacterial infection that affects the skin and peripheral nerves caused by the obligate intracellular bacillus Mycobacterium leprae. According to the 2015 World Health Organization reports, there were 587 prevalent cases and 423 new cases, of the latter 73% were multibacillary, predominantly in the departments of Santander and Boyacá (Colombia). Lucio’s phenomenon was first described in 1852 by Rafael Lucio, in collaboration with Alvarado. The Lucio’s phenomenon is relatively rare and none have been reported in Colombia about it, as reference, in South America, Brazil has reported approximately 11 cases since 2000.

We present a rare case of Lucio’s phenomenon in a country where leprosy is considered as eradicate which represents a diagnostic challenge, of a disease that continues with increasing incidence rates in a country considered in the post-elimination stage.