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Leprosy - Symptom

Alternative Names

Hansen's disease

Symptoms:

Symptoms include:

Skin lesions that are lighter than your normal skin color
- Lesions have decreased sensation to touch, heat, or pain
- Lesions do not heal after several weeks to months
Numbness or absent sensation in the hands, arms, feet, and legs
Muscle weakness

Signs and tests:

Lepromin skin test can be used to distinguish lepromatous from tuberculoid leprosy, but is not used for diagnosis
Skin lesion biopsy
Skin scraping examination for acid fast bacteria

Reviewed last on: 8/28/2009
Linda Vorvick, MD, Medical Director, MEDEX Northwest Division of Physician Assistant Studies, University of Washington School of Medicine; Jatin M. Vyas, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor in Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Assistant in Medicine, Division of Infectious Disease, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

References

Ernst JD. Leprosy (Hansen's disease). In: Goldman L, Ausiello D, eds. Cecil Medicine. 23rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier. 2007: chap 347.

Kumar B, Dogra S. Leprosy. In: Rakel RE, Bope ET, eds. Conn's Current Therapy 2008. 60th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2008: chap 25.

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