Hansen's disease, also known as leprosy, dates back to at least 4000 BC Evidence of the disease's presence in antiquity was found on an Egyptian papyrus dating back to around 1500 BC. These earlier cultures believed it was a curse or punishment from the gods. During the Middle Ages, the afflicted wore special clothing and rang bells to alert non-infected people of their presence. The first known origin of this disease is Egypt, from here the Roman crusaders contracted the disease and brought it back to Europe and from Europe to America. There are factors that can put people at risk of contracting this disease, such as exposure to endemic areas such as India, Egypt, Brazil and Angola. Although this disease is communicable, it is not highly contagious. Constant contact with untreated people can result in transmission of the disease through inhaled respiratory secretions or droplets that enter an abrasion on the skin. However, the droplets cannot infect intact skin. Individuals living with untreated people are 8 times more likely to develop the disease. Another risk factor may be improper handling of wildlife without protective gloves. Some primates and 9-Banded armadillos are possible carriers of this disease, making animal-to-human transmission likely. Additionally, Mycobacterium leprae can survive in moist soil for one to two weeks. Mycobacterium leprae appears in the colder parts of the body such as the eyes, earlobes, nose, fingers and toes, as large, painless ulcerations, skin nodules and lesions that cause progressive disfigurement. and facial deformity. Eye damage occurs due to dryness and reduced blinking. Early diagnosis can prevent nerve and tissue damage. If left untreated it can cause complications and disability. Numbness and......middle of paper......this is a more advanced form of the paucibacillary one the treatment time is extended to twenty-four months. Any damage before treatment is irreversible. One possible vaccine is Bacille-Calmette-Guerin (BCG), used primarily to provide immunity against tuberculosis. The level of protection that BCG provides against the pathogen can range from no effect to as much as 80% effectiveness, depending on the exposure and the strain of leprosy. Although leprosy has not yet been eradicated, the prevalence of the disease has significantly decreased since 1985, the number has been reduced by more than 90% and it has an incidence rate of more than 1 case in 10,000 in endemic countries. And reports of infections worldwide of 250,000 people per year with a mortality rate of seven people per 100,000. Surprisingly, 150-250 reported cases per year occur in the United States in states such as California, Florida, Hawaii, and Louisiana.