What is the treatment for Hansen's disease?

In 1941, sulfone drugs were introduced at the National Hansen's Disease Program for curing Hansen's disease. These medications continue to be an important weapon against Hansen's disease.

An increasing incidence of sulfone-resistant disease, however, necessitates treating all patients with more than one drug. Antibiotics are a very effective treatment for Hansen's disease; the three most commonly used antibiotics are Dapsone, Rifampin, and Clofazimine. Other antibiotics, such as Clarithromycin, Ofloxacin, Levofloxacin, and Minocycline also work well against M. leprae.

Treatment regimens differ depending upon the form of the disease and may last for three to four years.

The treatment renders the disease non-communicable by killing nearly all the bacilli within a few days. The dead bacilli are then cleared from the body within a few years.

This answer is based on source information from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services