Also known as Hansen’s disease, leprosy is a chronic bacterial infection caused by Mycobacterium leprae. Though this contagious, progressive condition can be lifelong or last for years, it is curable. Leprosy usually affects the skin and the nervous system of the affected person. This nerve damage can further lead to disabilities like muscle weakness and loss of sensation in the arms and legs, however, they are avoidable upon early detection and treatment. Read on to find everything you need to know about leprosy.

Leprosy Symptoms

Common symptoms of leprosy include skin lesions, numbness in the arms and feet, and muscle weakness. These skin lesions can affect the sensation to touch, pain and temperature. The colour of the lesions is usually lighter than a person’s natural skin tone, however, they may get reddened upon inflammation.

Another important factor one must know about leprosy is that it has a very long incubation period since the causal bacterium multiplies very slowly. A disease’s incubation period is the time between the actual contraction of the disease and the appearance of its first symptoms. Usually, leprosy’s incubation period is observed to be 3-5 years, however, in some cases, no symptoms may appear for as long as 20 years.

Causes of Leprosy

As mentioned earlier, leprosy is a bacterial infection caused by Mycobacterium leprae. It spreads from an affected person to a healthy one via airborne droplets. However, the condition is not highly contagious and does not spread by casual contact like hugging or shaking hands. It requires close and repeated physical contact with the affected person for the transmission of this disease. Also, leprosy cannot be passed on from affected pregnant mothers to their unborn babies.

Leprosy Prevention

Since leprosy is a communicable disease, one should avoid close physical contact with an affected person for longer durations. The affected person should wear a mask to cover the nose and the mouth since the disease is transmitted through airborne droplets and not physical touch. However, one does not need to maintain physical distance from a person who is cured and treated completely.

Leprosy Treatment

Leprosy is a curable disease and the treatment plan depends on the type of leprosy a person is suffering from. Usually, a long-term, multidrug therapy (MDT) plan is prescribed to treat the condition. This is because the patient may need not only the antibiotics to kill the causal bacteria but also the drugs to control the inflammation and other related symptoms. Though the nerve damage caused by leprosy cannot be treated by antibiotics, it can be controlled from worsening further with the help of certain drugs. The doctor may also suggest physical therapy (PT) in case the patient is suffering from severe muscle weakness.

The Bottom Line

One must note that early detection and treatment can help avoid critical complications like blindness, nerve damage and kidney failure. Thus, if a person lives in proximity to an affected person or observes any of the above-mentioned symptoms, they should visit a doctor at the earliest and get diagnosed. HJ Hospitals provide accessible, affordable, seamless and world-class healthcare facilities to the people suffering from leprosy. Manned by internationally-recognised doctors, physicians, surgeons, nursing staff and other healthcare experts, HJ Hospitals houses state-of-the-art infrastructure to take the best possible care of your health and wellbeing. So, stay aware about your body and other physical changes you experience and keep our emergency helpline number - 0815586555 saved in your speed dial to access our healthcare facilities anytime and anywhere in the Democratic Republic of Congo.