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Can leprosy be transmitted through unbroken skin?

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Sign reading Gandhiji Prem Nivas Leprosy Centre Titagarh conducted by Missionaries of Charity, with a crucifix above the sign on a decorated building facade. — leprosy The Gandhiji Prem Nivas is a center for people with leprosy that was established by Mother Teresa in 1958 and is run by the Missionaries of Charity in Titagarh, India.

No, leprosy cannot be transmitted through unbroken skin. Scientific research, including experiments using mouse models, has demonstrated that the leprosy bacillus does not penetrate or infect the body through intact, unbroken skin.1

Instead, the infectious disease is understood to enter the body primarily through the mucous membranes of the nose or through existing breaks in the skin. While the exact mechanism of human-to-human transmission remains a subject of study, it is generally associated with prolonged close contact. It is important to note that the vast majority of people—approximately 95 percent—are naturally not susceptible to the bacillus and will not develop the disease even with repeated exposure.12