Question

What is Hansen’s disease (its etiological agent, mode of transmission, clinical manifestations and prevention)?

Answer 1

Please find the answers below:

Hansen's disease: Hansen's disease or leprosy is an infective disease caused by bacteria Mycobacterium leprae. This is a disease of cutaneous system and nervous system causing severe chronic and deeply infiltrating infection on the whole body of the host thus making it highly painful.

Etiological agent: The disease is caused by bacterium Mycobacterium leprae. The bacterium is highly infective in nature and can be transmitted from one person to another thus making it cutaneous or communicable in nature.

Mode of transmission: The disease is transmitted from one infected person to another by direct physical contact or use of utilities by an infected and non-infected person.

Clinical manifestations: Clinically, it has been found that the disease caused direct infection of the skin and its associated glands along with the nervous system in severe cases. The disease can be diagnosed in a person with persistant appearance of skin wounds. Confirmation is usually done with acid-fast staining of the skin samples/smears.

Prevention: The preventive methods of the disease include prevention of direct contact with an infected person. However, vaccination is now available for this disease in the name of BGC or Bacillus-Calmette-Guerin. Topical utilization of anti-bacterial agents also offer prevention of infection.