What is leprosy?
Leprosy also called Hansen’s disease caused by a bacillus called Mycobacterium leprae (a relative of TB) was first discovered by Dr Gerhard Henrik Armauer Hansen of Norway way back in 1873.
what is leprosy?
Leprosy also called Hansen’s disease caused by a bacillus called Mycobacterium leprae (a relative of TB) was first discovered by Dr Gerhard Henrik Armauer Hansen of Norway way back in 1873. Leprosy affects the skin, mucous membranes, and nerves, causing discoloration and lumps on the skin and, in severe cases, disfigurement and deformities.
What causes leprosy?
Leprosy is brought on by the bacteria Mycobacterium leprae. In addition to infecting the skin and damaging the nerves, it can also damage the eyes and nose. It is most common in places of poverty.
What are leprosy symptoms?
After being exposed to the illness, leprosy symptoms may take a while to manifest. It typically lasts between three and five years but it can also last up to twenty years.The infection spreads from person to person by nasal secretions or droplets.The time between contact with the bacteria and the appearance of symptoms is called the incubation period. Some Signs of leprosy are painless ulcers, skin lesions of hypopigmented macules (flat, pale areas of skin), and your peripheral nerves.Additionally, muscular weakness or paralysis brought on by nerve injury results in:
loss of feelings in the hands and legs- you may not be able to extend your fingers but instead it might be curled inward .Feet can also experience muscle weakness. If you are standing and you cannot point your toes towards the sky, this is an indication that leprosy has begun to damage the nerves in your knee. This means that when you lift your foot up to walk, your toes will continue to touch the ground. If your hands and feet have lost sensation it is important you are careful, although you cannot feel the pain, you can still cause damage that can be very serious.
Damage to eyes - A loss of feeling in the eyes can mean that you are not able to feel when your eyes are sore. Many people cease blinking when there is no feeling in the area surrounding their eyes because they cannot sense the need for the moisture that blinking provides. A lack of blinking over time might damage your eye's lens and make it painful.
How is leprosy treated?
Leprosy was once feared as a highly contagious and devastating disease, but now we know it doesn’t spread easily and treatment is very effective. The treatments include:
Multi drug therapy
Leprosy can be cured with multi-drug therapy (MDT), a combination of three antibiotics: rifampin, clofazimine and dapsone. Treatment can take from six months to 12 months sometimes longer.People are no longer contagious after about one week of this treatment .
Reconstructive surgery
Amazing medical advancements have made it possible for us to assist leprosy-related disabilities in many different ways. Surgery and physical therapy can frequently restore a clawed hand or foot drop, but they cannot restore feeling.
To protect insensitive feet and hands, people are encouraged to look after themselves by soaking their feet regularly, oiling their skin to make it softer and checking daily for any wounds.
By following these self-care exercises, injury and further disability can be avoided. For those who require them, specialised protective footwear and mobility aids can be ordered. However, some leprosy-related impairments are too severe for surgery to have a significant impact.