Hanseniasi in immigrati

Two cases of hanseniasis (one borderline tubercoloid, the other sub-polar lepromatous presumably developed from a tubercoloid interpolar variant) diagnosed in immigrants from endemic countries only after repeated unsuccessful therapeutic approaches, are reported. Leprosy in immigrants accounts for the majority of leprosy cases diagnosed nowadays in Italy. Nevertheless, the diagnosis can be difficult due to the rarity of this disease, the language difficulties and the polymorphous cutaneous picture.