Leprosy info

This disease usually affects the skin and nerves but has a wide range of possible clinical manifestations. Patients are classified as having Paucibacillary or multibacillary Hansen’s disease (more commonly know as leprosy). Paucibacillary Hansen’s disease is milder and characterized by one or more hypopigmented skin macules.

Multibacillary hansen’s disease is associated with symmetric skin lesion, nodules, plaques, thickened dermis, and frequent involvement of the nasal mucosa resulting in nasal congestion and epistaxis. At the beginning of 2003, the number of leprosy patients in the world was around 612,110,as reported by 103 countries. 520,632 of these cases originate from south east Asia. About 612,000 new case were detected during 2002.

Worldwide, 1-2 million persons are permanently disable as a result of Hansen’s disease. However, person receiving antibiotic treatment or having completed treatment are considered free of active Infection.
 

The mode of transmission of Hansen’s disease remains uncertain.
Sources
 

http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dbmd/diseaseninfo/hansens_t.htm

http://www.who.int/lep/