Leprosy was renamed Hansen’s disease after Norwegian scientist Gerhard Henrik Armauer Hansen, who in 1873 discovered the slow-growing bacterium now known as Mycobacterium leprae as the cause of the illness. It is difficult to catch, and it can take many years to develop symptoms of the disease following an infection. However, people who catch the disease can easily be cured with antibiotics.

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Together, we can put a stop to discrimination and stigma against people with Hansen’s disease. We can learn to recognize symptoms and know when to see a physician for diagnosis. Educate yourself and your community and separate the facts from the myths about Hansen’s disease.