Leprosy

Leprosy, also known as Hansen’s disease, is a curable granulomatous condition caused by Mycobacterium leprae or Mycobacterium lepromatosis, disproportionately affecting impoverished communities across the globe. The bacteria’s tropism for dermal histiocytes, endothelial cells, and Schwann cells causes neuronal and dermal damage that often results in disability, permanent disfigurement, stigma, and social exclusion. Despite important achievements in the understanding of the disease, its elimination has been hampered by the scarcity of sensitive diagnostic tools, suboptimal integration and implementation of coordinated and financially stable preventive interventions, persistent stigmatisation, and failure to efficiently and sustainably address the socioeconomic and demographic factors associated with an increased risk of leprosy. In this Seminar, we provide an update on key public health and clinical aspects of the disease.