What is Leprosy?
Leprosy, also known as Hansen's disease (HD) or Hanseniasis, is a long-term infectious disease caused by the slow-growing bacteria Mycobacterium leprae or Mycobacterium lepromatosis.
Characteristics of the Leprosy Causing Bacteria
Incubation Period- These bacteria have a slow growth rate and can take up to 20 years to manifest symptoms in infected individuals.
- Leprosy is not highly contagious.
- Early diagnosis and management can lead to a cure.
- While transmission to others is less likely, extensive contact with an infected person can facilitate transmission.
- Leprosy primarily impacts various body systems, including the peripheral nervous system, skin, eyes, and other tissues, such as the reticuloendothelial system, bones and joints, mucous membranes, muscles, testes, and adrenals.
- Commonly seen in tropical and subtropical regions.
- Prevalent in areas such as Asia, Africa, Central and South America, some Pacific countries, and a few areas of the USA.
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Get A Second OpinionTypes of Leprosy
Tuberculoid Hansen's disease
- The immune system is strong in this type.
- This disease type only has a few lesions, and it is mild and only mildly contagious.
Lepromatous Hansen's disease
- The immune system is poor in this type, and the disease damages the nerves, skin, testes, bones, and other body tissues.
- It is characterised by generalised or widespread involvement of the skin, involving nodules (a small raised area or swelling on the skin—large lumps and bumps).
- The lepromatous disease is more contagious.
Borderline Hansen's disease or dimorphous Hansen's disease
- It is a very common type of leprosy with intermediate severity.
- The skin lesions match those of the tuberculoid type.
- The lesions are numerous and are scattered all over the body.
Indeterminate Leprosy
- This is an early stage of leprosy that may not show obvious symptoms.
- It usually starts with just one skin patch or a few spots that may be lighter or darker than the surrounding skin.
- Nerve or other body symptoms may not be noticeable.
- If not treated, it could develop into other forms of leprosy, or it might get better on its own.
Symptoms of Leprosy
Common symptoms
- Runny nose
- Dry scalp
- Eye problems
- Muscle weakness
- Speech problems
Skin lesions symptoms
- Nodules on the skin
- Painless ulcers on the feet
- Absence of eyebrows or eyelashes
- Painless lumps or swelling on the face or earlobes
- Light-coloured spots on the skin
- Thick, stiff or dry skin
Mucous membrane symptoms
- A stuffy nose
- Bleeding in the nose
Nerve damage symptoms
- Skin numbness in the impacted regions
- Muscle weakness or paralysis is usually observed in the hands and feet
- Nerves are enlarged
- Problems with the eyes could lead to blindness
Causes of Leprosy
- Mycobacterium leprae, or M. lepromatosis is the mycobacteria that gives rise to Hansen's disease or leprosy.
- Prolonged, close contact with a leprosy-affected person.
- Close contact with a person who has infectious mucosal secretions.
During pregnancy, leprosy sickness is not passed on from a mother to her unborn child, and it is also not contracted through sexual contact.
Complications of Leprosy
If Hansen's disease is left untreated, it can give rise to severe symptoms, including:
- Paralysis and crippling of feet and hands
- Reabsorption causes shortening of toes and fingers
- Ulcers on the bottoms of the feet that do not heal
- Blindness
- Absence of eyebrows
- Disfigurement of the nose
- A burning sensation of the skin
- Around the affected area, there is redness and agony
- Painful nerves
Risk Factors of Leprosy
- The major risk factor for developing Hansen's disease is close contact with an infected person.
- Poverty increases the risk of contracting leprosy.
- Certain conditions that decrease immunity, such as malnourishment, specific illnesses, or chromosomal mutation may increase the chances of developing leprosy.
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When to see a doctor?
You can consult a primary care doctor if you notice leprosy-related symptoms in your body. The doctor may refer you to a leprosy specialist, general physician, or dermatologist.
Consult our Dermatologist experts for more information and adequate treatment for Hansen's disease (leprosy).
Diagnosis of Leprosy
- The leprosy doctor will conduct a clinical examination to look for the leprosy signs and symptoms.
- The doctor will prefer to take a tissue sample of the skin or nerve (skin or nerve biopsy) for laboratory testing to confirm the diagnosis.
- The doctor will ask about the medical history, such as recent travel history to high-risk regions or close contact with an infected person.
- Lepromin skin test or leprosy skin test might be done to determine the type of leprosy.
Treatment for Leprosy
- Various leprostatic agents are used for leprosy treatment. A three-drug combination of antibiotics consisting of dapsone, rifampicin, and clofazimine is prescribed for leprosy patients. The leprosy doctor may also suggest anti-inflammatory drugs.
- Multidrug therapy (MDT) is considered a highly effective treatment and even after a single dose, the suffering individuals no longer remain infectious.
- In the case of nerve damage, protective footwear may aid in preventing ulcers and secondary infection.
Care at Medicover Hospitals
At Medicover hospitals, we have the most reliable healthcare team of dermatologists, infectious disease specialists, and general physicians who design a personalized treatment pathway for each patient. We adopt a multi-faceted approach to managing leprosy disease with the active participation of healthcare specialists from different departments to address the disease for holistic recovery and wellness. We aim to provide the best treatment outcomes and satisfactory patient experiences at a highly affordable cost.
Citations
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Book an AppointmentFrequently Asked Questions
Untreated leprosy can lead to nerve damage, progressive disability, deformities, and in severe cases, blindness and organ damage.
Multidrug therapy (MDT), a combination of antibiotics, is the most effective treatment for leprosy, as recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO).
Currently, there is no widely available vaccine for leprosy. Research is ongoing, but no vaccine has been approved for general use yet.
While genetic factors may influence susceptibility to leprosy, the disease itself is caused by bacterial infection and is not solely genetic.
People living in endemic regions with poor living conditions, prolonged close contact with untreated individuals, and certain genetic predispositions are at higher risk of developing leprosy.
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