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.
BT - Der Hautarzt; Zeitschrift fur Dermatologie, Venerologie, und verwandte Gebiete C1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2188935?dopt=Abstract DA - 1990 Mar IS - 3 J2 - Hautarzt LA - ger N2 -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.
PY - 1990 SP - 126 EP - 30 T2 - Der Hautarzt; Zeitschrift fur Dermatologie, Venerologie, und verwandte Gebiete TI - [Leprosy. Pathogenesis--classification--diagnosis--treatment]. VL - 41 SN - 0017-8470 ER -