01890nas a2200253   4500000000100000008004100001260001200042653001400054653003000068653001200098653002300110653002300133653001400156653001800170653001400188653001200202100001400214700001100228700001500239245007400254300001100328520128300339022001401622       2020                            d  c09/202010adiagnosis10aErythema nodosum leprosum10aleprosy10aLeprosy. reactions10aLucio's phenomenon10aM. leprae10aPathogenicity10aTreatment10aVaccine1 aMungroo M1 aKhan N1 aSiddiqui R00aMycobacterium leprae: Pathogenesis, diagnosis, and treatment options.  a1044753 a<p>Mycobacterium leprae is known to cause leprosy, a neurological and dermatological disease. In the past 20 years, 16 million leprosy cases have been recorded and more than 200,000 new cases were registered each year, indicating that the disease is still progressing without hinderance. M. leprae, an intracellular bacterium, infects the Schwann cells of the peripheral nervous system. Several types of leprosy have been described, including indeterminate, tuberculoid, borderline tuberculoid, mid-borderline, borderline lepromatous and lepromatous, and three different forms of leprosy reactions, namely type 1, 2 and 3, have been designated. Microscopic detection, serological diagnostic test, polymerase chain reaction and flow tests are employed in the diagnosis of leprosy. The recommended treatment for leprosy consists of rifampicin, dapsone, clofazimine, ofloxacin and minocycline and vaccines are also available. However, relapse may occur after treatment has been halted and hence patients must be educated on the signs of relapse to allow proper treatment and reduce severity. In this review, we depict the current understanding of M. leprae pathogenicity, clinical aspects and manifestations. Transmission of leprosy, diagnosis and treatment are also discussed.</p>  a1096-1208