Final answer:
Leprosy, or Hansen's disease, is caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium leprae and affects the peripheral nervous system. It has two forms: tuberculoid and lepromatous.
Step-by-step explanation:
Leprosy, also known as Hansen's disease, is an infectious disease caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium leprae. It is not caused by intracellular parasitic bacteria, but rather by a bacterium that is classified as a gram-positive bacillus. The disease affects the peripheral nervous system (PNS) and can lead to permanent damage and loss of appendages or body parts. There are two forms of leprosy: tuberculoid (paucibacillary) and lepromatous (multibacillary).