Hansen's Disease is the official term for the leprosy disease. The disease is still often referred to as 'Leprosy,' however, the term was changed to avoid the use of the term 'Leper,' which is rude and inappropriate.

Hansen's disease is a chronic, infectious disease, caused by the germ Mycobacterium leprae. It affects the nerves, skin, and eyes. Hansen's disease is transmitted by direct contact, usually repetitive, over a long period of time.

Hansen's disease cannot kill; however, it makes a person's immune system more susceptible to infections, like pneumonia and tuberculosis, which can lead to death.

The disease can be cured using sulfone drugs, a method discovered in the 1940s. The majority of patients today who regularly take their medicine are cured. Patients become noninfectious within a few days to weeks of treatment. All cases are now treated as outpatients.