Decoding leprosy: immune response, clinical manifestations and emerging diagnostic approaches

Leprosy is an infectious disease characterized by a broad immunological spectrum, which underlies its diverse clinical presentations and contributes to the physical and emotional disabilities experienced by patients with leprosy. Understanding the immunopathogenic mechanisms of this disease is essential for interpreting clinical manifestations and conventional diagnostic tests and developing diagnostic strategies for leprosy detection. This review aims to provide an overview of the immune response, clinical features and emerging diagnostic approaches in leprosy.