Leprosy is a physically, psychologically and socially destructive disease. The initial signs of infection are pale or reddish spots which increase in size and become raised. The term ‘leprosy’ derives from the Greek word léprā, describing the scaly appearance of the skin. Infection causes damage to the nerves in the skin. This makes the affected areas numb, although sometimes they can have tingling or burning sensations. As the disease progresses, the face, upper and lower limbs can be covered in lumps (nodules), eyelashes and eyebrows can fall out and patients lose the ability to blink. The tissues in the nose can be attacked, leading to the collapse of the bridge of the nose, a condition called saddle-nose deformity. Muscles in the hands and feet may become paralysed so that the victims are crippled. A common example is the ‘claw hand’, in which fingers become fixed in a curved position resembling a bear’s claw. Loss of sensation in the skin means that patients suffer repeated trauma which leads to bacterial or fungal infections. Inflammation in the eyes can lead to blindness. With modern antibiotic treatment the disease can be cured, although lesions on damaged skin can persist for several years [1–3].