What is Hansen's Disease?

Hansen's Disease, historically called leprosy, is one of the world's most feared and misunderstood diseases. It is a mild but persistent infectious disease, caused by the Mycobacterium leprae bacteria that enter the body by aerosol droplets and cause symptoms including nerve damage, lumps and/or ulcers on the skin, selective muscle paralysis, and blindness. Leprosy is now usually called Hansen's Disease, after Dr. Armauer Hansen, the Norwegian physician who discovered its bacterial cause.

The disease is not nearly as infectious or aggressive as once believed. Only 5% of humans are susceptible to infection by the germ. Hansen's Disease is transmitted only by inhaling aerosolized droplets from an infected person. The germ cannot cross intact skin. It has a low virulence and requires direct person-to-person contact over long periods of time. It is not hereditary, though several family members may be affected due to close living conditions.

Hansen's Disease is rare in developed countries such as the United States. But it is very much present in impoverished areas of Asia, Africa, and South America. However, "leprosy could be erradicated worldwide, if that goal were to be set," according to Dr. Julie Gerberding, the director of the United States Center for Disease Control.

Nerve Complications

The leprosy germ directly attacks the human nerve cell and its supporting tissues. Even after antibiotic drug treatments have killed the bacteria and cured the patient, Hansen's disease can cause ongoing, late, or recurring nerve problems as the body's immune system continues to react against remnant bacterial molecules.

As a result of this process, many leprosy patients sustain neurological damage, including nerve pain, numbness in the hands or feet, loss of strength, and selective muscle paralysis. Together these symptoms are referred to as neuropathy.

In the advanced stages of Hansen's Disease the immune system can attack and destroy the body's bone and cartilage, particularly in the hands, feet, and nose. This can be prevented through early detection and treatment.

The Cure

Hansen's Disease is cured by multi-drug antibiotic therapy. Two weeks after receiving the first antibiotic dose, those receiving medication are no longer contagious. Treatment takes six months to two years, depending on the individual's immune system and the severity of disease present.

The disease is completely curable, regardless of how long a patient has been infected. However, if it is discovered late, there may already be irreversible damage to nerves, eyes or limbs. If untreated, there can be severe complications and permanent damage.