Leprosy- Symptoms Diagnosis Treatment

What is leprosy?

Leprosy, also known as Hansen's disease, is a bacterial infection caused by Mycobacterium leprae.

It is believed to be transmitted by droplets from the mouth or nose of severely affected individuals.

In opposition to its reputation, leprosy is not particularly contagious. Around 95% of the world's population are naturally immune and, even after prolonged exposure, will not pick up the disease.

If the infected individual does not receive treatment, muscle weakness slowly progresses, leading to atrophy (shriveling up) of the muscles. Leprotic nerve damage leads to an inability to feel pain; because of this lack of feeling, repeated injuries may go unnoticed and the extremities are delayed to being damaged and historically lost.

--Symptoms of leprosy--

The symptoms of leprosy can differ from individual to individual.

The main symptoms of leprosy include:

- Appearance of skin lesions that are lighter than normal skin and remain for weeks or months
- Patches of skin with decreased sensation (touch, pain and heat)
- Muscle weakness
- Numbness in the hands, feet, legs and arms ("anesthetic skin")
- Eye problems
- Enlarged nerves, especially in the elbows or knees
- Stuffy nose and nosebleeds
- Curling of the fingers and thumb, caused by paralysis of small muscles in the hand7
- Ulcers on the soles of the feet.

--Treatment of leprosy--

Drug therapy for leprosy consists of a multi-drug approach over a 6-12 month period. The first drug found to be effective, dapsone, has been in use since 1946. Later, some resistance to the drug was identified, and others were developed to be used for cases where dapsone was ineffective - rifampicin and clofazimine.

Today, all three drugs are given in combination; this kills the M. leprae bacteria and cures the patient.

Side effects of leprosy treatment are rare but can include:

- Dapsone: minor anemia
- Rifampicin: abnormal liver test results that clear up after the drug is stopped; may also produce a harmless orange coloration of the sweat, urine or tears
- Clofazimine: slight darkening of the skin that disappears once treatment has stopped.