Vol. 20 No. 2 (2021)
Literature Review

Leprosy: A clinical review

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  • Andréia P. Gomes,
  • Paulo Sérgio B. Miguel,
  • Francisca B. Martins e Mafra,
  • Ana Cláudia L. de Moura,
  • Luciene M. Braga
DOI: https://doi.org/10.12957/bjhbs.2021.63968

Published 2022-01-04

Keywords

  • Mycobacterium leprae,
  • Leprosy,
  • Epidemiology

How to Cite

1.
P. Gomes A, B. Miguel PS, B. Martins e Mafra F, L. de Moura AC, M. Braga L. Leprosy: A clinical review. BJHBS [Internet]. 2022 Jan. 4 [cited 2024 Nov. 21];20(2):151-60. Available from: https://bjhbs.hupe.uerj.br/bjhbs/article/view/38

Copyright (c) 2021 Brazilian Journal of Health and Biomedical Sciences

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

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Abstract

Leprosy is a chronic infectious disease, caused by Mycobacterium leprae. It has great historical importance and is responsible for high rates of infected people all over the world, Brazil being the second country in number of cases, only behind India. The clinical manifestations of the disease depend on the host’s immune response, and it has the potential to affect practically all organs and systems, although it mainly affects the skin and peripheral nerves, and may, above all, present periods of aggra-vation, which are called reactions. Thus, it is characterized as a disease of incapacitating character, which can bring irreparable physical deformities, presenting a great impact on the physical, social, and mental health of the patient. In this review we discuss the main aspects involving the condition of neglected disease, especially the epidemiology, classifications, clinical picture, complications, diagnosis, treatment, and care for prevention.

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