01323nas a2200217   4500000000100000008004100001260001300042653002800055653003000083653001100113653002300124653001200147653002500159653000900184100001300193245006700206300001100273490000700284520080000291022001401091       1990                            d  c1990 Mar10aDiagnosis, Differential10aDrug Therapy, Combination10aHumans10aLeprostatic Agents10aleprosy10aLeprosy, lepromatous10aSkin1 aStingl P00a[Leprosy. Pathogenesis--classification--diagnosis--treatment].  a126-300 v413 a<p>Leprosy (hanseniasis) is caused by chronic infection with Mycobacterium leprae (M. leprae). The disease involves primarily the superficial peripheral nerves and the skin, but almost any organ can be affected. The clinical features vary and are determined by the host's immune response to the infection. A distinction is made between multibacillary and paucibacillary forms of leprosy. The multibacillary forms are lepromatous, borderline-lepromatous and borderline-borderline leprosy; the paucibacillary forms are tuberculoid and borderline-tuberculoid leprosy. The clinical features and the histological picture depend on the patient's immune response. Because effective chemotherapy has become available, leprosy can now be cured, and frightening disabilities are therefore preventable.</p>  a0017-8470