According to data from the World Health Organization (WHO), the
number of new cases of Hansen’s disease (HD, or leprosy)
identified worldwide declined by about 20% from 2003 to 2004. At
least 116 of 122 countries once considered leprosy--endemic have
achieved a prevalence rate of less than one case per 10,000
population.1,2 Meanwhile, the number of active HD infections in
the United States catalogued through the CDC and the National
Hansen’s Disease Program (NHDP) rose from 76 cases in 2000 to
166 in 2005, with an additional 137 cases in 2006 (the most
recent year for which complete figures are available).3,4
Currently, 6,500 US residents are known to have HD, of whom
3,300 require care for active disease.3 Accurate diagnosis and
straightforward, aggressive treatment can mean certain cure for
this dreaded disease, as it is responsive to a combination of
available drugs. For primary care providers in the US,
familiarity with this condition can play a role in eliminating
it altogether. Background and Etiology H