Causes

Leprosy is a chronic bacterial (mildly) infectious disease, a public health problem in 32 countries afflicting the poorest strata. Leprosy or Hansen's disease is caused by a rod shaped viral bacilli Mycobacterium Leprae. Leprosy is also known as Hansen's disease because it was discovered
by G.A. Hansen in 1873.

Leprosy is mildly infectious. It is a disease of the nerves affecting the skin, peripheral nerves, mucosa of the upper respiratory tract, eyes and certain other organs. Spreads by intimate skin contact, contact with nasal discharges, droplets. It does not spread sexually, or by food, water and insects.




Symptoms

Sensory loss in the affected areas sets in, usually beginning in the toes and fingertips. The following become apparent

1) Loss of sensation at the nerve ends
2) Destroyed blood vessels, ligaments and skin tissues
4) Eroded bones
5) Sores
6) Ulcers
7) Scabs
8) Flat or slightly raised patches on the skin. Well demarcated, non-itching hypopigmented , reddish appearance.

Patients feel nothing in the affected area. Numbness, muscle weakness, even paralysis may follow. Injuries result in infection, leading to ulcers that damage the dermal tissues, joints and bones or secondary deformities if left untreated. In many advanced cases, gangrene sets in, causing parts of the body to "die" (necrosis) and become deformed.

What makes leprosy dreaded is the damage that it causes to the nerves giving rise to deformities in the hands, feet, nose and eyes. Aversion to leprosy is mostly due to mutilating deformities and disabilities, ulceration and blindness that are noticed in advanced untreated patients.

Cure

A combination of rifampicine, clofazimine and dapsone cures patients off leprosy. This treatment is called Multi Drug Therapy. Mild, non-infectious cases of leprosy need to take treatment with two drugs for 6 months. More severe infectious cases take three drugs for 24 months.

Low priority given to leprosy control, poor infrastructure of health care systems, stigma and unfamiliarity with early symptoms of the disease are the major problems that have to be eliminated.