顔面腫瘍を疑ったらい病の1例

A Case of Leprosy Wrongly Diagnosed as Atypical Fibroxanthoma

　はじめに

　近年，らい病は日本国内での新発生の患者は激減し，皮膚科医を初め臨床医の目に触れにくい疾患となっている。そのため，少数となった新患の診断や治療，外国からの移住者の発病など，新たな問題が発生している^1）。

　今回われわれは顔面の腫瘍を疑い，診断に苦慮した症例を経験したので報告する。

A 71-year-old male with leprosy developed multi-ple facial tumors which, firstly, was wrongly diagnosed as atypical fibroxanthoma of the face by a dermatologist. The patient was referred to our clinic for further evaluation.

Skin biopsy specimens showed many acid-fast bacilli. Finally leprosy was diagnosed. From this experience, we should pay attention to leprosy in the head and neck tumors as differential diagnosis.