[Leprosy: identification of an isolated case].

Leprosy is an infrequent disease in Spain. 4,714 cases of leprosy was registered in the last national census (1979). The disease is still common in certain regions, such as Levant, Andalusia, Extremadura, Canary Island and Galicia. Lepromatous type is more frequent, a typical hallmark of endemies with low activity or characterized by regression. We report a patient affected of borderline lepromatous leprosy with the following characteristics: 1) the only known case in his locality, 2) lack of reaction after the treatment, and 3) due to its clinic, histological, and bacteriological characteristics was quite difficult to determine the leprosy's type. Even though the leprosy is an infrequent disease, it can be seen in everyday's practice, so that the internist and specialist. Have to know the disease in order to make an early diagnosis and to treat the patient effectively.