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Leprosy

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Leprosy (Hansen’s disease [HD]) is a chronic infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae that primarily affects the skin and peripheral nerves. A number of other organs, including eyes and testicles, may be involved in the infection. HD has been known for over 2000 years and has afflicted millions of people worldwide. In recent times, most patients have been residents of underdeveloped nations. Hansen(1) discovered the etiologic agent over 130 years ago, but it is still not possible to culture this bacterium on solid medium or to propagate it in liquid medium. This has hampered investigation into the pathogenesis of leprosy and there is much about the disease process that we do not understand.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawai‘i, Honolulu, Hawai‘i 96813; formerly Department of Veterans Affairs Pacific Islands Health Care System, Honolulu, Hawai‘i 96819

    Richard I. Frankel

  2. National Hansen’s Disease Program, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70816, USA

    David M. Scollard

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  1. Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Clifton Road NE., 1518, Atlanta, 30322, U.S.A.

    Philip S. Brachman

  2. College of Medicine, Office of Faculty Affairs, Drexel University, Race Street 1505, Philadelphia, 19102, U.S.A.

    Elias Abrutyn

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Frankel, R.I., Scollard, D.M. (2009). Leprosy. In: Brachman, P., Abrutyn, E. (eds) Bacterial Infections of Humans. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-09843-2_20

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