Full Text (PDF)
Review Article

Leprosy Pathophysiology, Clinical Features and Management

Ravi Kumar Chittoria, Amrutha J.S.

Author Information

Licence:

Attribution-Non-commercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0)

This license enables reusers to distribute, remix, adapt, and build upon the material in any medium or format for noncommercial purposes only, and only so long as attribution is given to the creator.


Journal of Microbiology and Related Research 9(2):p 53-70, July-December 2023. | DOI: https://doi.org/10.21088/jmrr.2395.6623.9223.2

How Cite This Article:

Amrutha J.S., Ravi Kumar Chittoria. Leprosy Pathophysiology, Clinical Features and Management. J Microbiol Relat Res. 2023;9(2): 53–70.

Timeline

Received : October 17, 2023         Accepted : November 29, 2023          Published : December 25, 2023

Abstract

Leprosy, also known as Hansen's disease, is a chronic infectious disease caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium leprae. Clinical features depend on the immune status of the patient. Proper management of leprosy involves a comprehensive approach that includes diagnosis, treatment, rehabilitation, and prevention of disabilities.


References

  • 1.   DNA of Jesus-Era Shrouded Man in Jerusalem Reveals Earliest Case of Leprosy, 2009.
  • 2.   Fitness J, Tosh K, Hill A. Genetics of suceptibility to leprosy. Genes Inmmun. 2002;3:441---53.
  • 3.   Britton WJ, Lockwood DN. Leprosy. The Lancet. 2004;363:1209-19.
  • 4.   Han XY, Sizer KC, Thompson EJ, Kabanja J, Li J, Hu P, et al. Comparative sequence analysis of Mycobacterium leprae and the new leprosycausing Mycobacterium lepromatosis. J Bacteriol. 2009;191:6067---74.
  • 5.   Global leprosy situation. Weekly epidemiological record. Switzerland: World Health Organization; 2010. p. 337---48.
  • 6.   Gulia A, Fried I, Massone C. New insights in the pathogenesis and genetics of leprosy. F1000 Medicine Reports. 2010;27:2.
  • 7.   Shimoji Y, Ng V, Matsumura K, Fischetti V, Rambukkana A. A 21- kDa surface protein of Mycobacterium leprae binds peripheral nerve laminin-2 and mediates Schwann cell invasion. ProcNatlAcadSci U S A. 1999;96:9857---62.
  • 8.   Alter A, Grant A, Abel L, Alcaïs A, Schurr E. Leprosy as a genetic disease. Mamm Genome. 2011;22:19-- -31.
  • 9.   G. Weddell and E. Palmer, “The pathogenesis of leprosy. An experimental approach,” Leprosy Review, vol. 34, pp. 57–61, 1963.
  • 10.   J. C. Pedley, “The nasal mucus in leprosy,” Leprosy Review, vol. 44, no. 1, pp. 33–35, 1973.
  • 11.   K. Prabhakaran, E. B. Harris, and B. Randhawa, “Regulation by protein kinase of phagocytosis of Mycobacterium leprae by macrophages,” Journal of Medical Microbiology, vol. 49, no. 4, pp. 339–342, 2000.
  • 12.   D. S. Ridley and W. H. Jopling, “Classification of leprosy according to immunity. A five-group system,” International Journal of Leprosy and Other Mycobacterial Diseases, vol. 34, no. 3, pp. 255–273, 1966.
  • 13.   Ridley D, Jopling W. Classification of leprosy according to immunity. A five-group system. Int J Lepr Other Mycobact Dis. 1966;34:255---73.
  • 14.   Ooi WW, Srinivasan J. Leprosy and the peripheral nerve system: basic and clinical aspects. Muscle Nerve. 2004;30:393–409.
  • 15.   Marahatta S, Bhattarai S, Paudel BH. Electrophysiological profles of leprosy neuropathy. Lepr Rev. 2017;88:373–80.
  • 16.   Thappa DM, Sharma VK, Kaur S, Suri S. Radiological changes in hands and feet in disabled leprosy patients: a clinicoradiological correlation. Indian J Lepr. 1992;64:58–66.
  • 17.   Ankad BS, Hombal A, Rao S, Naidu VM. Radiological changes in the hands and feet of leprosy patients with deformities. J ClinDiagn Res. 2011;5:703–7
  • 18.   Maas M, Slim EJ, Heoksma AF, van der Kleij AJ, Akkerman EM, den Heeten GJ, et al. MR imaging of neuropathic feet in leprosy patients with suspected osteomyelitis. Int J Lepr Other Mycobact Dis. 2002;70(103):97
  • 19.   Wallis RS, Pai M, Menzies D, Doherty TM, Walzl G, Perkins MD, et al. Biomarkers and diagnostics for tuberculosis: progress, needs, and translation into practice. Lancet Lond Engl. 2010;375(9729):1920–37.
  • 20.   Notomi T, Okayama H, Masubuchi H, Yonekawa T, Watanabe K, Amino N, Hase T. Loopmediated isothermal amplifcation of DNA. Nucleic Acids. 2000;28:E63

Data Sharing Statement

There are no additional data available. All raw data and code are available upon request.

Funding

This research received no funding.

Author Contributions

All authors contributed significantly to the work and approve its publication.

Ethics Declaration

This article does not involve any human or animal subjects, and therefore does not require ethics approval.

Acknowledgements

We would like to express our gratitude to the patients, their families, and all those who have contributed to this study.

Conflicts of Interest

No conflicts of interest in this work.


About this article


Cite this article

Amrutha J.S., Ravi Kumar Chittoria. Leprosy Pathophysiology, Clinical Features and Management. J Microbiol Relat Res. 2023;9(2): 53–70.


Licence:

Attribution-Non-commercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0)

This license enables reusers to distribute, remix, adapt, and build upon the material in any medium or format for noncommercial purposes only, and only so long as attribution is given to the creator.


Received Accepted Published
October 17, 2023 November 29, 2023 December 25, 2023

DOI: https://doi.org/10.21088/jmrr.2395.6623.9223.2

Keywords

LeprosyPathophysiologyPaucibacillaryMultibacillaryMultidrug therapyHansen diseaseMycobacteria leprae

Article Level Metrics

Last Updated

Thursday 10 September 2026, 18:23:47 (IST)


1342

Accesses

3
175
00

Citations


NA
NA
NA

Download citation


Article Keywords


Keyword Highlighting

Highlight selected keywords in the article text.


Timeline


Received October 17, 2023
Accepted November 29, 2023
Published December 25, 2023

licence


Attribution-Non-commercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0)

This license enables reusers to distribute, remix, adapt, and build upon the material in any medium or format for noncommercial purposes only, and only so long as attribution is given to the creator.


Access this article



Share