Question

The earliest sensation to be lost in Hansen's disease is

• A. Touch
• B. Temperature
• C. Pain
• D. Vibration

Hint:

Think about which nerve fibers sit closest to the skin surface, where the bacillus prefers to live.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

This question checks the classic sequence of sensory loss in leprosy neuropathy.

1. Touch: wrong, touch is lost, but only after temperature sensation goes first.
2. Temperature: correct, the superficial, thinly myelinated fibers carrying temperature sense are the first casualty of the bacillus's preference for cooler tissue.
3. Pain: wrong, pain loss follows touch and temperature, which is why unnoticed trauma is such a problem in leprosy.
4. Vibration: wrong, carried by large myelinated fibers, vibration sense is preserved the longest.

Correct answer: Temperature.