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Hansen's disease

American  

noun

Pathology.
  1. leprosy.


Hansen's disease British  
/ ˈhænsənz /

noun

  1. pathol another name for leprosy

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of Hansen's disease

1935–40; named after G. H. Hansen (1841–1912), Norwegian physician and discoverer of leprosy-causing Mycobacterium leprae

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

People who seek treatment at the outpatient clinic, one of 16 federally supported Hansen’s disease clinics in the U.S., are often overwhelmed by dread, uncertainty and shame, Balquin said.

From The Wall Street Journal Dec. 23, 2025

A cure for Hansen’s disease was found in the mid-20th century.

From Seattle Times Dec. 1, 2023

In fact, leprosy, also known as Hansen’s disease, is extremely rare in the United States.

From Slate Aug. 15, 2023

The magazine grew from a two-page mimeographed hospital newsletter to a well-respected Hansen’s disease news venue read by people in over 130 countries around the world.

From Salon Aug. 9, 2023

She makes her stop in El Paso, but she also accepts an invitation to speak at a public meeting of the American Legion in Tucson, Arizona, to raise awareness of Hansen’s disease.

From "At Last She Stood" by Erin Entrada Kelly

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