This document provides an overview of leprosy (Hansen's disease). It begins by introducing leprosy as a chronic infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae. It then describes the different classifications of leprosy including lepromatous, tuberculiod, dimorphous, and indeterminate. Symptoms include numbness, skin lesions, hair loss, and facial disfigurement. Diagnosis involves demonstration of acid-fast bacilli in lesions through staining, testing for sensory loss, and biopsy. Treatment options are also discussed along with references used.

1. LEPROSY
HANSEN’S DISEASE
ANJU ANTHARJANAM V.S.
S2 Msc.Biochemistry
Dept.of Biochemistry
University of Kerala
Kariavattom campus

2. INTRODUCTION
Leprosy is a chronic,infectious disease caused
by Mycobacterium leprae.
 Hansen’s disease.
World’s oldest recorded disease.
Gerhard Henrick Armauer Hansen.

3. Leprosy…
• The disease mainly effects the skin,the
peripherel nerves,mucosa of the upper
respiratory tract etc.
 Most common in the tropics and subtropics.

4. AETIOLOGY
• Mycobacterium leprae is
the cause of leprosy.
• Strongly acid fast(red ),rod
shaped bacterium with
parallel sides and rounded
ends.
• It is GRAM POSITIVE.

5. M.leprae
• Occurs in large numbers in
the lesions grouped
together like bundles of
cigars or arranged in a
palisade.-GLOBI

6. Types of leprosy
• Madrid classification 1953.
»LEPROMATOUS
»TUBERCULOID
»DIMORPHOUS
»INDETERMINATE

7. LEPROMATOUS
• Low host resistance.
• Multibacillary disease.
• More infective
• Bacillemia

8. TUBERCULOID
• High host resistance
• Few skin lesions,deformities
• Paucibacillary disease.

9. DIMORPHOUS (BODERLINE)
INDETERMINATE
•Early unstable tissue reactions and lesions.

10. According to Ridely and Jopling
(1966)..
–Tuberculoid (TT)
–Boderline Tuberculoid (BT)
–Boderline (BB)
–Boderline Lepromatous (BL)
–Lepromatous (LL)

11. TT BT BB BL LL
Bacilli in
skin
--- +/-- + ++ +++
Bacilli in
nasal
secretions
--- --- --- + +++
Granulom
a
+++ ++ + --- +++
Ab to
organism
+/-- +/-- + ++ +++
Infectivity Very low Very low Low Low High

12. EPIDEMIOLOGY • Leprosy is an exclusively
human disease and the
only source of infection is
the patient.
• Bacilli are shed in nasal
secretions.

13. • The mode of entry may be either through the
respiratory tract or skin.
• The incubation period is very long and
averages 2-5 years.
• The bacterium invades the skin cells and
peripheral nerves and becomes an obligately
intra cellular parasite.

14. SYMPTOMPS
• Numbness
• Loss of temperature sensation
• Reduced touch sensation
• Joint pain
• Weight loss
• Blisters/rashes
• Skin lesions of hypo
pigmented macules.

15. SYMPTOMPS
• Dryness of eye.
• Hair loss.
• Facial disfigurement.

16. DIAGNOSIS
Demonstration of
acid fast bacilli in
lesions.-Ziehl
Nesselson Staining.

17. DIAGNOSIS
• Palpable thickened nerves.
• Testing sensitivity loss.
• Thermal sensitivity.

18. DIAGNOSIS
• Biopsy specimens-direct fluorescent antibody
staining.
• DNA amplification.
• ELISA.

19. TREATMENT

21. REFERENCES
Bahr, Manson, and D.R.Bell.“Manson’s Tropical
Diseases”.(1996).
Textbook Of Microbiology: Ananthanarayanan
And C.K.J.Paniker (8th edition).
Prescott’s Microbiology,Joanne M. Willey
Et.Al.,(8th Edition) Mcgraw-Hill International
Edition.

22. THANK YOU…