<![CDATA[Abstrak. Program pemberantasan kusta di dunia telah berjalan Jebih dari 20 tahun terakhir, namun kasus insiden kusta baru tidak menurun. Dengan kata lain penularan penyakit kusta masih terus terjadi di rnana- mana. Sampai dengan saat ini manusia masih diyakini sebagai sumber penularan Mycobacterium leprae yang utama, terutama pada penderita kasus tipe lepromatosa yang sangat infeksius. Banyak faktor yang mempengaruhi terjadinya penularan penyakit kusta seperti lamanya kontak, keeratan hubungan, status imunitas, status gizi, sosial ekonomi, genetik, hygiene dan sanitasi lingkungan, serta mempunyai beberapa cara penularan. Cara penularan yang utama adalah melalui kontak dengan penderita kusta (kontak antar kulit, kontak intim, kontak berulang-ulang). Mycobacterium leprae dari penderita kusta terutama penderiita kusta tipe MB masuk ke dalam tubuh seseorang melalui saluran pemafasan. (JKS2010;2:99-104)Kata Kunci: Mycobacterium leprae, kusta, inhalasi, kontakAbstract. The program to eradicate leprosy in the world has been taken for the last 20 years, but the incidence of new leprosy cases do not. decline yet. In other words, the transmission of leprosy is still occurring everywhere. Up today, humans are still believed to be a major source infection of Leprae Mycobacterium, particularly on the patients with lepromatous type of cases that are· extremely infectious. There-are many factors that influence the occurrence of leprosy transmission, such as the length of contact, closeness of relationship, immune status, nutritional status, socio-economic, genetic, hygiene and sanitation environment. There are several modes of leprosy transmission. The main mode of transmission is through contact with people that have leprosy (contact between the skin, intimate contacts, contacts repeatedly). Leprae Mycobacterium from leprosy patients especially patients with MB leprosy type would infect someone through the respiratory tract. (JKS 2010;2:99-104)Keywords: Leprae Mycobacterium, leprosy, inhalation, contact]]>
