Leprosy is a chronic infectious disease caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium leprae. It primarily affects the skin, peripheral nerves, upper respiratory tract, eyes, and testes. While curable, it can lead to permanent disability if left untreated, mainly affecting people in tropical and subtropical regions.
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Leprosy is one of the oldest recorded diseases, often leading to severe social stigma and isolation throughout history. The bacterium *Mycobacterium leprae* was identified by Norwegian physician Gerhard Armauer Hansen in 1873, making it the first bacterium ever identified as causing human disease. Its curability with Multi-Drug Therapy since the 1980s has drastically reduced its global burden.
Leprosy is primarily transmitted through droplets from the nose and mouth during close and frequent contact with an untreated person who has the disease. It is not highly contagious, and most people are naturally immune to the bacterium. Transmission typically requires prolonged contact, making casual contact with an infected person generally safe.
Contagious Period: Varies by disease
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India remains the highest-burden leprosy country in the world, reporting over 100 000 new cases annually in most recent years and accounting for more than half of global new case detections. Despite achieving WHO’s “elimination as a public health problem” threshold nationally in 2005, persistent new case detection (including child cases and multibacillary disease) in several states shows ongoing transmission and late diagnosis, especially among marginalized communities.
Source: BEACON - View Full Report
A leprosy detection campaign is scheduled to run in Chamarajanagar from November 24 to December 9. This proactive public health initiative aims to identify cases and prevent further transmission and disability within the community.
Chile is the first country in the Americas verified by WHO for eliminating leprosy disease
No locally acquired leprosy cases reported in Chile for over 30 years since 1993
Leprosy is a chronic infectious disease causing nerve damage and disabilities if untreated
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In a major global public health milestone, Chile has become the first country in the Americas to be officially verified by the World Health Organization (WHO) for elim
📰 46 news sources reporting on this story.
The World Health Organization (WHO), together with the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), congratulates Chile for becoming the first country in the Americas - and the second globally - to be officially verified as having eliminated leprosy disease.
Leprosy (Hansen disease) was historically recorded in Chile at the end of the 19th century on Rapa Nui (Easter Island). The disease was limited in mainland Chile, with sporadic introductions, contained through isolation and treatment measures in
📰 31 news sources reporting on this story.
REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- Yohei Sasakawa, Honorary Ambassador of the World Health Organization (WHO) for Leprosy Elimination, is committed to eradicating the spread of leprosy in Indonesia. Through the Sasakawa Health Foundation (SHF), the 87-year-old man emphasized that efforts to combat leprosy... Source: Republika Online - Read Full Article
MUMBAI: The Maharashtra government has declared leprosy a notifiable disease, making it mandatory for all healthcare providers to report every diagnosed case within two weeks to district health authorities and municipal health offices. "The move aims to strengthen surveillance, ensure early detectio... Source: Hindustan Times - Read Full Article
REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto has given his full support to the Sasakawa Foundation, which is committed to helping Indonesia eliminate leprosy. This was announced by Yohei Sasakawa, WHO Honorary Ambassador for Leprosy Elimination and Chairman of the Nippon Foundation, after meeting with President Prabowo in Hambalang, Bogor, on Friday, January 16, 2026. "He has shown his full support for us to carry out various activities to eliminate this disease," said Yohei Sasakawa in a press conference at the Kempinski Hotel, Jakarta. Yohei further said that the Indonesian people still have misinformation regarding the treatment of leprosy. He did not deny that people with leprosy or even survivors of leprosy often face negative stigma in society. "When it comes to ...
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No cases of leprosy have been registered in Serbia for many years, Dr. Dragana Plavsa, an epidemiologist with the Batut Institute of Public Health, said today. Plavsa added that leprosy could appear in our country, but only as an imported case, and that the disease is difficult to transmit and easy to treat. The doctor told Tanjug that the recent outbreak of this disease in Croatia and Romania is not surprising, because according to data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, around 250,000 cases of leprosy are registered around the world each year, which means that there is higher occurrence in some countries. "However, it's a myth that leprosy is a highly contagious disease. It is caused by Mycobacterium leprae. This is a bacillus that is slow-growing, it can take years,...
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Despite being eliminated as a public health problem in the late 1980s, leprosy and its long-term impacts remain a persistent health challenge in Papua New Guinea, Kiribati, and Fiji. An Australian non-profit pharmaceutical developer says its treatment targeting type 2 leprosy reaction is entering a global trial for the first time. Leprosy reaction is not leprosy itself but instead the consequence of the infection. Mark Sullivan is the founder and managing director of Medicines Development for Global Health, the company behind the new treatment. He said their drug avoided the severe side effects experienced by current treatments.
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No cases of leprosy have been registered in Serbia for many years, Dr. Dragana Plavsa, an epidemiologist with the Batut Institute of Public Health, said today. Plavsa added that leprosy could appear in our country, but only as an imported case, and that the disease is difficult to transmit and easy to treat. The doctor told Tanjug that the recent outbreak of this disease in Croatia and Romania is not surprising, because according to data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, around 250,000 cases of leprosy are registered around the world each year, which means that there is higher occurrence in some countries. "However, it's a myth that leprosy is a highly contagious disease. It is caused by Mycobacterium leprae. This is a bacillus that is slow-growing, it can take years,...
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View WHO Resources →Disease information on Virus Watcher is reviewed by our Chief Epidemiologist, a former CDC lead analyst for FluSight forecasting. Outbreak data is aggregated from verified sources including BEACON, ProMED, WHO, CDC, and 50+ national health agencies. This information is for educational purposes and should not replace professional medical advice.
Last reviewed: 2026-06-03
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