Leprosy - Facts And Symptoms

• Leprosy, one of the oldest diseases known to mankind, comes froms the Greek word “lepros” which means scaly.
• It is a kind of infection caused by a parasite called Mycobacterium leprae or otherwise known as Hansen’s bacillus, named after the Norwegian physician, Gerhard A. Hansen (1841-1912) who was the first person to see this bacteria under the microscope. Which is why leprosy is also called Hansen’s disease.
• There are 3 forms of leprosy :
  1. Tuberculoid Whitish and flat rashes can be seen. The peripheral nerves (nerves outside of the brain and spinal cord) and sometimes the surrounding skin (e.g. on the face, arms, legs) are effected.
  2. Lepromatous The most servere form of all. Bumps or raised rashes appear and damages are done on the eyes, nerves, skin, upper respiratory tract and testes.
  3. Borderline Has characteristics of both lepromatous and tuberculoid leprosy.
• Leprosy is neither hereditary nor infected by touch. Infection occurs when the bacteria is dispersed in the air, e.g. when an infected person sneezes. However close contact over a long period of time with an untreated person is needed in order to be infected with the disease. Infection can also come from soil and armadillo.
• Not everyone exposed to this bacteria is bound to be infected since most people’s immune system is able to fight against infection.
• Because this bacteria affects particularly the skin and nerves which can cause severe deformities in outer appearance, people with this disease in the past (or even till today) are often cursed, despised and feared by others. Largely due to ignorance, people wanted to protect themselves and so they pushed leprosy sufferers away to isolated spots and treat them as social outcasts.
• The truth is already out! Leprosy can be cured! Deformities can be prevented if detected and treated early.
• Antibiotic medications used to treat leprosy include diaphenylsulfone (Dapsone), rifampicin (Rifadin) and clofazimine (Lamprene). Multidrug therapy (MDT) combines the use of these drugs to elminate leprosy effectively.
• Surgery can also help to reconstruct damaged faces and limbs.
• According to the World Health Organization, India, Myanmar and Nepal account for 70% of all the cases in the world.
• There is still no vaccine against this disease.

Symptoms

• Numbness in the hands and arms or feet and legs
• One or more hypopigmented skin lesions/rashes that have lost the sensation to touch, pain or heat.
• Skin lesions/rashes that do not heal after several weeks to months.
• Muscle weakness.

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