Table of Contents
- Overview
- Symptoms
- Treatment
- Prevention
Hansen's disease
Treatment
A number of different antibiotics are used to kill the bacteria that cause the disease.
Aspirin, prednisone, or thalidomide are used to control inflammation.
Support Groups
Expectations (prognosis)
Early recognition is important. Early treatment limits damage by the disease, renders the person noninfectious (you can't catch the disease from them), and allows for a normal lifestyle.
Complications
- Cosmetic disfigurement
- Permanent nerve damage
Calling your health care provider
Call your health care provider if you have symptoms of leprosy, especially if you've had contact with someone who has the disease. Cases of leprosy in the United States need to be reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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Review Date: 08/28/2009
Reviewed By: 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.
A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)
