HANSEN DISEASE AND PREGNANCY

Abstract

Hansen disease, commonly called Leprosy, is an infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae. In the past, the seriousness of the presentation of this disease associated with the inexistence of appropriate treatment, led to the stigmatization of these patients. Fortunately, the way we look now to Hansen disease has changed thanks to the existence of new antibacillary drugs.

With migration phenomenon, we see nowadays, in Portugal, more cases in women in fertile age, manly immigrants from Brazil. There are questions to answer in a pregnant woman with Hansen disease, mainly in what regards to therapeutic effects in pregnancy, lactation and also to the delivery. It’s known that the gestation decreases the cellular immunity, which allows the proliferation of the bacilli. The drug choice will stop permanent nervous lesion.

The authors report three cases followed in Maternidade Dr. Alfredo da Costa with the Dermatology Unit of Curry Cabral Hospital, in Lisbon. All these pregnant were, at the time of the gestation, under clofazimine and rifampicin.
The aim of this review is to demystify Leprae and Pregnancy and stress the importance of a multidisciplinary follow-up.

KEYWORDS – Pregnancy; Clofazimine; Rifampicin; Leprosy.