Leprosy: The source of infection and its mode of transmission

Abstract

Leprosy is a communicable disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae. Two principal factors involved in the transmission of the disease are the source of infection and the mode of entry. Although a lot is known about the source of M. leprae, the mode of transmission, till date, is shrouded in mystery. In this paper, a review of the relevant literature on the subject and some personal observations of the author are summarized.