Hansen’s Disease (Leprosy)

Hansen’s disease (HD), also known as leprosy, is a chronic disease caused by a slowly multiplying bacillus, Mycobacterium leprae, mainly affecting skin, periph‑ eral nerves, mucosa of the upper respiratory tract, and eyes. (1) Primary nerve impairments and disability can be prevented or minimised when disease is diag‑ nosed early and managed adequately. (1–3) The incubation period of the disease is about five years, but symptoms can take as long as 20 years to appear. (1) The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends MDT (multi-drug therapy) con‑ sisting of two or three drugs: dapsone and rifampicin for all plus clofazimine for multibacillary disease.