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Hanseniasis

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Dermatology in Public Health Environments

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Abstract

Hanseniasis is a systemic, infectious disease whose etiologic agent (Mycobacterium leprae or Hansen’s bacillus) has a predilection and primarily affects the skin and peripheral nerves. It presents chronic evolution that can be interrupted by acute episodes known as hansenic reaction. Diagnosis is mainly clinical, based on a good anamnesis and physical examination of the skin and nerve trunks. The multidrug therapy, as it is known today, was first oriented by WHO in 1982 and it is a combination of three (rifampicin, dapsone, and clofazimine) drugs that are safe and effective in treating hanseniasis and to prevent the emergence of drug resistance. If untreated, the disease can progress to other organs and can cause nerve damage, leading to muscle weakness and atrophy, and permanent physical disabilities and deformities proper to the disease. These deformities are responsible by the stigma and prejudice against people affected by hanseniasis. Prevention of disabilities begins with diagnosing hanseniasis sufficiently early, treating with multidrug therapy, recognizing and treating reactions and neuritis. It is a compulsory reporting disease worldwide.

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Abbreviations

BCG:

Bacillus Calmette-Guérin

COVID-19:

Coronavirus Disease 2019

DH:

Dimorphous hanseniasis

ENH:

Erythema Nodosum Hansenic

H&E:

Hematoxylin and eosin

IgM:

Immunoglobulin M

IH:

Indeterminate hanseniasis

ILA:

International Leprosy Association

MB:

Multibacillary

MDT:

Multidrug therapy

PB:

Paucibacillary

PGl-1:

Phenolic glycolipid-1

SARS-CoV-2:

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2

SDR:

Single dose of rifampicin

TH:

Tuberculoid hanseniasis

VH:

Virchowian hanseniasis

WHO:

World Health Organization

Z-N:

Ziehl Neelsen

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Sanitary Dermatology Service of the Department of Health of Rio Grande do Sul State, Porto Alegre, Brazil

    Letícia Maria Eidt

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  1. Letícia Maria Eidt
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Dermatology Service, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul/HCPA, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

    Renan Rangel Bonamigo

Glossary

ML Flow

Rapid test lateral flow to M. leprae. It is an immunochromatographic test strip comprising nitrocellulose with a detection reagent made of wool fiber with antihuman IgM antibody labeled with colloidal gold dried from one side, and an absorption strip on the other.

PGL-1 or phenolic glycolipid-1

The main antigenic glycolipid of Hansen’s bacillus, the main antigenic determinant being the last part of di- and trisaccharide of the molecule. It is one of the first specific antigens isolated from M. leprae.

Ridley-Jopling classification

A classification of Leprosy/hanseniasis for research purposes. This classification made by Ridley–Jopling was based on clinical, histological, and immunological differences in the disease, but they are continuous and compose a disease spectrum.

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Eidt, L.M. (2023). Hanseniasis. In: Rangel Bonamigo, R. (eds) Dermatology in Public Health Environments. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-13505-7_5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-13505-7_5

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