Leprosy: Clinical aspects and diagnostic techniques - 19/06/20

Doi : 10.1016/j.jaad.2019.12.080

Mayra B.C. Maymone, MD, DSc ^a, Melissa Laughter, PhD ^a, Samantha Venkatesh, MD ^b, Mara M. Dacso, MD, MS ^c,^d, P. Narasimha Rao, MD, DD, PhD ^e, Barbara M. Stryjewska, MD ^c, Jeremy Hugh, MD ^a, Robert P. Dellavalle, MD, PhD, MSPH ^a, Cory A. Dunnick, MD ^a,^⁎
^a Department of Dermatology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Denver, Colorado
^b Department of Dermatology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts
^c National Hansen's (Leprosy) Disease Program, Baton Rouge, Louisiana
^d University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas
^e Special Interest Group on Leprosy, Indian Association of Dermatologists, Venereologists and Leprologists, Hyderabad, India

^∗Correspondence to: Cory A. Dunnick, MD, Department of Dermatology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, 1665 Aurora Court, Mail Stop F703, Aurora, CO 80045.Department of DermatologyUniversity of Colorado School of Medicine1665 Aurora CourtMail Stop F703AuroraCO80045

Abstract

Leprosy, also known as Hansen's disease, is a curable infectious disease that remains endemic in >140 countries around the world. Despite being declared “eliminated” as a global public health problem by the World Health Organization in the year 2000, approximately 200,000 new cases were reported worldwide in 2017. Widespread migration may bring leprosy to nonendemic areas, such as North America. In addition, there are areas in the United States where autochthonous (person-to-person) transmission of leprosy is being reported among Americans without a history of foreign exposure. In the first article in this continuing medical education series, we review leprosy epidemiology, transmission, classification, clinical features, and diagnostic challenges.

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Key words : diagnostic techniques, epidemiology, Hansen's disease, leprosy, leprosy classification, leprosy differential diagnosis, microbiology

Abbreviations used : AFB, BB, BI, BL, BT, CTB, LL, MB, NHDP, PB, PCR, SS, TB, TT, WHO