Leprosy affects the skin, the peripheral nervous system and the mucous membrane of the nose by preference, but other tissues and organs are also affected, often early in the disease, such as the testicles, the mammary glands, the lymphatic glands, the larynx and the eyes. Late manifestations of the liver, spleen and other internal organs may occur. Lesions of the muscles, bones, skin, hair, nails and mucous membranes may not be directly due to the presence of Mycobacterium leprae but to trophic disturbances caused by nerve involvement. The preference of leprosy for the skin and peripheral nerves led to the classic conception of "cutaneous," "neural" and "mixed" types of leprosy. However, it is evident that the great majority of patients with leprosy present symptoms and signs of cutaneous, neural and visceral involvement and therefore most cases of leprosy would fall under the heading of "mixed leprosy." On the other hand,