Leprosy, also known as Hansen’s disease (HD), is a chronic infection caused by the bacteria Mycobacterium leprae[1] andMycobacterium lepromatosis.[2] Initially infections are without symptoms and typically remain this way for 5 to as long as 20 years.[1]Symptoms that develop include granulomas of the nerves, respiratory tract, skin, and eyes.[1] This may result in a lack of ability to feel pain and thus loss of parts of extremities due to repeated injuries.[3] Weakness and poor eyesight may also be present.[3]
麻風病（{{lang-en|Leprosy}}），又作麻瘋病、痲瘋病、癩病、癘風等。醫學領域稱為漢生病或韓森氏病（{{lang-en|Hansen’s Disease}}），是由[[麻風桿菌]]<ref name=WHO2014/>與[[瀰漫型痲瘋分枝桿菌]]<ref name=New2008>{{cite web | url=http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/11/081124141047.htm | title=New Leprosy Bacterium: Scientists Use Genetic Fingerprint To Nail ’Killing Organism’|work=ScienceDaily | date=2008-11-28 | accessdate=2010-01-31}}</ref>引起的一種[[慢性]][[傳染病]]，主要經由飛沫傳染但傳染性並不強。感染初期並不會出現症狀，潛伏期可達5至20年<ref name=WHO2014>{{cite web|title=Leprosy Fact sheet N°101|url=http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs101/en/|work=World Health Organization|date=Jan 2014}}</ref>。該疾病會在[[周圍神經系統|神經系統]]、[[呼吸道]]、皮膚與眼部出現{{link-en|肉芽腫|Granuloma}}<ref name=WHO2014/>。這會導致病患失去痛覺感知的能力，造成四肢因反覆受傷而需部分截肢.<ref name=Aka2012/>。也可能出現虛弱與視力變差的症狀<ref name=Aka2012/f>。
There are two main types of disease based on the number of bacteria present: paucibacillary and multibacillary.[3] The two types are differentiated by the number of poorly pigmented numb skin patches present, with paucibacillary having five or fewer and multibacillary having more than five.[3] The diagnosis is confirmed by finding acid-fast bacilli in a biopsy of the skin or via detecting the DNA bypolymerase chain reaction.[3] It occurs more commonly among those living in poverty and is believed to be transmitted by respiratory droplets.[3] It is not very contagious.[3]
視不同的細菌數量，麻風病可分為兩種主要的類型：少菌型（{{lang-en|paucibacillary}}）與多菌型（{{lang-en|multibacillary}}）<ref>{{cite web|title=漢生病防治工作指引 |url=https://www.cdc.gov.tw/uploads/files/201410/73eeb901-89ca-4442-ab96-4e027f688768.pdf |author=吳育弘,李品慧,孫啟璟,許明隆,詹智傑,趙曉秋,閻忠揚,鄭麗玲 |publisher=衛生福利部疾病管制署 |year=2013| accessdate=2014-11-21}}</ref><ref name=WHO2014>{{cite web|title=Leprosy Fact sheet N°101 |url=http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs101/en/ |work=World Health Organization|date=Jan 2014}}</ref>。兩個類型主要是由皮膚感覺遲鈍甚至消失的[[色素減退|白色斑塊病變數量]]來分，少於五個病變稱為少菌型，多於五個則是多菌型<ref name=WHO2014>{{cite web|title=Leprosy Fact sheet N°101 |url=http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs101/en/ |work=World Health Organization|date=Jan 2014}}</ref>。確診麻風病的方式有二：一是在皮膚切片下找到{{link-en|耐酸性染色陽性菌|Acid-fast bacilli}}；二是以[[聚合酶連鎖反應]]偵測細菌DNA的存在。麻風病的感染者多為經濟狀況不佳者，並多以飛沫傳染的途徑傳播<ref name=Aka2012/>。此病傳染性並不高<ref name=Aka2012/>。
Leprosy is curable with treatment.[1] Treatment for paucibacillary leprosy is with the medications dapsone and rifampicin for 6 months.[3]Treatment for multibacillary leprosy consists of rifampicin, dapsone, and clofazimine for 12 months.[3] These treatments are provided for free by the World Health Organization.[1] A number of other antibiotics may also be used.[3] Globally in 2012 the number of chronic cases of leprosy was 189,000 and the number of new cases was 230,000.[1] The number of chronic cases has decreased from some 5.2 million in the 1980s.[1][4][5] Most new cases occur in 16 countries, with India accounting for more than half.[1][3] In the past 20 years, 16 million people worldwide have been cured of leprosy.[1]
麻風病經治療後可痊癒<ref name=WHO2014/>。針對少菌型麻風病的治療是服用{{link-en|二胺本碸|dapsone}}及[[雷發平]]六個月<ref name=Aka2012/>。而多菌型麻風病的治療則包括12個月雷發平、二胺本碸及[[氨苯吩嗪]]的療程<ref name=Aka2012/>。這些治療藥物由[[世界衛生組織]]免費提供<ref name=WHO2014/>。此外，也有其他的抗生素能被用來治療麻風病<ref name=Aka2012/>。據統計，2012年全球有189,000位慢性個案及230,000的新個案<ref name=WHO2014/>。慢性個案的數量較1980年代的五百多萬已下降<ref name=WHOEpi2012>{{cite journal |author= |title=Global leprosy situation, 2012|journal=Wkly. Epidemiol. Rec. |volume=87 |issue=34 |pages=317–28 |date=August 2012|pmid=22919737 |doi= |url=}}</ref><ref name=Rod2011>{{cite journal|last=Rodrigues|first=LC|coauthors=Lockwood, DNj|title=Leprosy now: epidemiology, progress, challenges, and research gaps.|journal=The Lancet infectious diseases|date=June 2011|volume=11|issue=6|pages=464–70|pmid=21616456|doi=10.1016/S1473-3099(11)70006-8}}</ref> 。大多數的新個案都發生在16個國家，而印度的個案數佔了其中的一半<ref name=WHO2014/><ref name=Aka2012/>。在過去20年中，有1,600萬的麻風病患者自疾病中痊癒<ref name=WHO2014/>。
Leprosy has affected humanity for thousands of years.[3] The disease takes its name from the Latin word lepra, which means "scaly", while the term "Hansen’s disease" is named after the physician Gerhard Armauer Hansen.[3] Separating people in leper colonies still occurs in countries like India, where there are more than a thousand;[6] China, where there are hundreds;[7] and in the continent of Africa.[8]However, most colonies have closed.[8] Leprosy has been associated with social stigma for much of history,[1] which remains a barrier to self-reporting and early treatment. World Leprosy Day was started in 1954 to draw awareness to those affected by leprosy.[9]
麻風病影響了人類數千年<ref name=Aka2012/>。該疾病的英文名稱起源於[[拉丁文]]的{{lang|la|lepra}}，意義為「’’鱗片’’」。而漢生病（{{lang-en|Hansen’s disease}}）的名稱則是起源於內科醫師[[格哈德·阿瑪爾·漢生]]<ref name=Aka2012>{{cite journal|last=Suzuki|first=K|coauthors=Akama, T; Kawashima, A; Yoshihara, A; Yotsu, RR; Ishii, N|title=Current status of leprosy: epidemiology, basic science and clinical perspectives.|journal=The Journal of dermatology|date=February 2012|volume=39|issue=2|pages=121–9|pmid=21973237|doi=10.1111/j.1346-8138.2011.01370.x}}</ref>。在部份國家會將病患隔離於[[漢生病療養院]]，如[[印度]]隔離了超過1,000人<ref name=Leprosy>{{cite news | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/from_our_own_correspondent/6510503.stm | author=Walsh F |title=The hidden suffering of India’s lepers |publisher=BBC News |date=2007-03-31}}</ref>，[[中國]]數百人<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=117&art_id=qw1158139440409B243|title=Ignorance breeds leper colonies in China |author=Lyn TE |publisher=Independat News & Media |date=2006-09-13 |accessdate=2010-01-31}}</ref>，非洲大陸也有隔離病患的情形<ref name=Byr2008>{{cite book|last=Byrne|first=Joseph P.|title=Encyclopedia of pestilence, pandemics, and plagues|date=2008|publisher=Greenwood Press|location=Westport, Conn.[u.a.]|isbn=9780313341021|page=351|url=http://books.google.ca/books?id=5Pvi-ksuKFIC&pg=PA351}}</ref>。然而，大部分的療養院皆已關閉<ref name=Byr2008/>。麻風病在歷史上常受到{{link-en|麻風病污名化|Leprosy stigma|社會歧視}}<ref name=WHO2014/>，而這也是該疾病無法自我通報與早期治療的一個障礙。1954年開始，為了讓麻風病患受到重視，將每年的1 月26日或離此日最近的星期天定為{{link-en|世界麻風病日|World Leprosy Day}}<ref>{{cite book|last=McMenamin|first=Dorothy|title=Leprosy and stigma in the South Pacific : a region-by-region history with first person accounts|date=2011|publisher=McFar
land|location=Jefferson, N.C.|isbn=9780786463237|page=17|url=http://books.google.ca/books?id=lZPvQTJ8SE0C&pg=PA17}}</ref>。