Hansen's Disease Arkansas Department of Health

Hansen’s Disease

Hansen’s Disease, often known as Leprosy, is a treatable infectious disease caused by the bacteria M. leprae. The infection is known to attack the nervous system, causing swollen nerves, discoloration and/or inflamed skin, and loss of feeling in affected areas. Without treatment, Hansen’s Disease can cause paralysis of hands and feet, loss of fingers and toes, and blindness, among other symptoms.

Historically, Leprosy was feared as a highly contagious and dangerous disease. However, modern medical science has revealed that Hansen’s Disease is slow to progress and difficult to spread. Transmission requires long exposure times and, once transmission occurs, the disease can take years to manifest any symptoms.

Once detected, Hansen’s Disease can be treated and cured with antibiotics, however, treatment cannot reverse existing symptoms, so it is important to begin treatment as quickly as possible after detection of the disease. It is imperative that you complete your treatment regimen as directed by a physician. Failure to do so can result in the development of antibiotic resistance. There is no vaccine for Hansen’s Disease, however, most people are already naturally immune.

Transmission & Risk Factors

While it is unclear how exactly Hansen’s Disease is transmitted between people, it is evident that the disease does not transmit easily. The disease appears to require extensive close contact over the course of several months or even years to be spread between individuals. It cannot be spread through casual contact; it is entirely safe to shake hands or share a meal with someone with Hansen’s Disease. Further, Hansen’s Disease cannot be spread through sexual contact, and cannot be passed from parent to child during pregnancy. Hansen’s Disease cannot be transmitted at all once treatment has been started.

M. leprae is known to be found naturally in armadillos is the southern United States, and it is suspected that transmission between armadillos and humans can occur, albeit very rarely. While the risk of catching Hansen’s Disease through brief contact with an armadillo is very low, it is best to avoid contact with armadillos when possible.

Hansen’s Disease is very rare in the US, with <200 new cases diagnosed each year nationwide. The disease is somewhat more prevalent in some countries, most notably in Brazil, India, Indonesia, and much of South-Central Africa. Even in these countries however, Hansen’s Disease is still a rare occurrence. In fact, some 95% of people worldwide already have a natural immunity to Hansen’s Disease, rendering it a very rare condition regardless of location.

Symptoms

Hansen’s Disease can cause a variety of symptoms throughout the body, however the most common presentations are found in the skin and the nervous system.

Common skin symptoms include:

Discoloration of the skin, typically in small patches that may or may not be numb or inflamed
Abnormal skin growths
Thick, dry patches of skin
Ulcers on the soles of feet
Swelling in the face and earlobes
Loss of eyebrows or eyelashes
Burning sensation in the skin

Common symptoms related to nerve damage include:

Numbness in affected areas
Muscle weakness and eventual paralysis
Enlarged/swollen nerves
Ulcers in the eyes and/or blindness, if facial nerves are affected
Loss of sense of pain – often leading to unnoticed injuries in affected areas

Other common symptoms include:

Nasal inflammation
Nosebleeds

Symptoms of advanced, untreated Hansen’s Disease include:

Paralysis of hands and feet
Shortening/loss of fingers and toes
Chronic, non-healing ulcers on the soles of feet
Blindness
Saddle Nose disfigurement

Hansen’s Disease develops very slowly – it can take up to 20 years to develop even minor symptoms. This is because M. leprae reproduces distinctly slowly for an infectious bacterium.

It is imperative to seek treatment as soon as possible after symptoms develop. Hansen’s Disease can be treated and cured relatively painlessly, however symptoms cannot be reversed once they appear.

Testing/Diagnosis

If you develop any of the above symptoms, speak to a doctor immediately. The most common symptom to watch for is patches of discolored skin that have lost sense of touch and/or pain.

Once in contact with a doctor, they will take samples of affected skin or nerves to perform confirmatory tests. These typically involve looking at the sample under a microscope for M. Leprae bacteria or sending the samples to be lab tested for other potential diseases.

Treatment

Once in contact with a doctor, they will take samples of affected skin or nerves to perform confirmatory tests. These typically involve looking at the sample under a microscope for M. Leprae bacteria or sending the samples to be lab tested for other potential diseases.

During treatment:

Take particular care of areas affected by a loss of sensation; it is very common for people with Hansen’s Disease to experience cuts and burns without even noticing. These injuries can easily become infected or become severe if they aren’t noticed.
Take the full course of medication as directed by your doctor. Stopping early can result in redevelopment of the illness, emergence of new symptoms, and the development of antibiotic resistance, making the disease harder or even impossible to treat in the future.
Watch for swollen/inflamed and painful skin patches and nerves and development of a fever, as these can be indications of an adverse reaction to treatment that will require changes and/or additions to treatment medication.

The locations of specialized Hansen’s Disease treatment clinics around the country can be found in the other resources section below. Arkansas is served by the Springdale Hansen’s Disease Clinic:

Springdale HD Clinic
Joseph H. Bates Outreach Clinic of Washington County
614 E. Emma Avenue, Suite 247
Springdale, AR 72764
PH: (479)-751-3630
Fax: (479)-751-4838
Physician: Linda McGhee, M.D.
Public Health Nurse: Ruby Lewis, R.N.
Telephone: (479) 841-5779

Other Resources:

Much of the information on this page is taken from the following sources. You can follow the links below to find out more:

Links to care:

Additional information: