What Is Leprosy ? Its Symptoms & Treatment ?

What Is Leprosy ? Its Symptoms & Treatment ?

OVERVIEW

Leprosy, also known as Hansen’s disease, is a long-term infectious disease caused by the bacteria Mycobacterium leprae or Mycobacterium lepromatosis which results in severe, disfiguring skin lesions as well as nerve damage in the arms, legs, and other skin-covered parts of the body. People have been impacted by outbreaks on every continent.
People can contract leprosy from one another, although close contact is required. 95% of those who get M. leprae do not develop leprosy, which has a low pathogenicity. Leprosy is believed to spread by coughing or coming into touch with a person who has the disease. The immune system's capacity and genetic predispositions affect how quickly a person contracts the illness. Leprosy cannot be transmitted through sexual contact or to an unborn child during pregnancy. People who are poor are more likely to develop leprosy. For a diagnosis for yourself or your loved one, consult a doctor at the earliest. Type Apollo clinic near me. in the Google search bar to do so.

TYPES

The six different forms of leprosy—Intermediate, Tuberculoid, Borderline Tuberculoid, Mid-borderline, Borderline, and Lepromatous leprosy—are mostly categorized depending on the severity of the symptoms.
• Intermediate leprosy: This is the earliest stage of leprosy. Patients at this stage have flat lesions that, in the event of a robust immune system, may heal on their own without advancing.
• Tuberculoid Leprosy: It is a less severe and milder form of leprosy. Due to nerve loss, those who have this condition have areas of flat, pale-colored skin which feels numb. Compared to other kinds of leprosy, at this stage contagion is less. This infection either goes away on its own or it might linger and get worse.
• Borderline tuberculoid Leprosy: Although the infections may be smaller and more numerous at this stage, they might still persist and revert to tuberculoid or any other advanced type. The symptoms at this stage are remarkably similar to those of tuberculoid.
• Mid-borderline Leprosy: At this stage, the signs and symptoms resemble those of borderline tuberculoid leprosy quite a bit. This comprises numb, reddish plaques that might regress or change into another type.
• Borderline leprosy: The primary signs of this kind of leprosy, which is a cutaneous skin ailment, is numerous wounds/scars, including plaques, and flat, raised lumps that may persist or regress.
• Lepromatous Leprosy: Leprosy at this stage is more severe and contagious than at other stages and it causes many bacterial lesions. There are many pimples, rashes, numbness, and muscular weakness in the afflicted area. Other signs include hair loss, limb weakness, and damage to the male reproductive system, nose, kidneys, and other body organs.

SYMPTOMS

The skin, nerves, and mucous membranes (the soft, moist regions close within the body's openings) are the primary sites of symptoms.
Some skin symptoms caused due to leprosy are:
• Flat, discolored areas of skin that may be numb and seem fading (lighter than the skin around)
• Nodules (growths) on the skin
• dry, stiff, or thick skin
• soles of the feet with no pain from ulcers
• Lump or swelling on the cheeks or earlobes without any pain
• loss of eyelashes or eyebrow hair
Signs and symptoms of nerve damage due to leprosy are:
• Skin-affected regions becoming numb.
• Weakening or paralysis of muscle (especially in the hands and feet)
• Expandable nerves (especially those around the elbow and knee and on the sides of the neck)
• Eye conditions resulting in blindness (when facial nerves are affected)
The following are signs of the illness in the mucous membranes:
• A congested nose
• Nosebleeds
Since Hansen’s disease affects the nerves, people may lose feeling or sensation in their limbs. When loss of feeling occurs, injuries such as burns can go unnoticed. When you don't feel the pain that could warn you of danger to your body, take extra care to make sure your body parts that may be affected are not injured.
The symptoms of advanced leprosy, if untreated, might include:
• Hands and feet that are paralysed and are disabled
• Resorption-related shortening of the toes and fingers
• foot bottom ulcers that don't heal over time
• Blindness
• Loss of brow hair
• Nasal deformity
• Aching or sensitive nerves
• Pain and redness at the injured region
• Skin stinging or burning
The initial symptoms of leprosy are hard to detect as being that of leprosy, as it could easily be passed off as a common cold or flu. Type “Apollo clinic near me” in the Google search bar to consult with a doctor for proper diagnosis.

CAUSES AND RISK FACTORS

The slow-growing bacteria "Mycobacterium leprae" is what causes leprosy. The specific means of transmission of leprosy, which is brought on by the bacteria M.leprae and M. Lepromatosis, is unknown, however it is thought to occur when an infected person coughs or sneezes and releases respiratory droplets:
• Leprosy development risk factors include
• Close proximity to the diseased individual – whether living close to or caring for them.
• Lowered immunological response
• Socioeconomic Factors such as malnutrition and living in poverty, living in a nation where leprosy is prevalent, thereby raising the possibility of coming into touch with M. leprae, less education, bad housing conditions, and bad indoor air quality.

COMPLICATIONS

Complications arising from leprosy left untreated for a long time are:
• Loss of sight
• Hand malformation and facial disfigurement
• Male infertility and erectile dysfunction
• Renal failure
• Permanent damage to the nose's insides and can cause nosebleeds and nasal congestion, and collapse of the nasal septum.
• Injury to the nerves outside of the brain and spinal cord which is permanent
• Muscle weakness
• Permanent nerve damage in the arms and legs
• Inability to use hands and feet
• Iritis, which is an inflammation of the iris of the eye
• Glaucoma, an eye disease that causes damage to the optic nerve and blindness

PREVENTION

• For family members sharing a home with the sick person, testing is necessary.
• Leprosy can be somewhat prevented with the BCG vaccination.
• Spread of leprosy can be halted with an early detection of the illness.
TREATMENT

In order to stop the infection from spreading, antibiotic therapy is a crucial part of leprosy treatment. Rifampin and other antibiotics are very successful in treating leprosy and cure 98% of people who receive them. Antibiotics can take a while to work their way into the body and produce benefits in people with an initial high bacterial count. Because inflammation is an important part of the disease process, treatment of patients with steroids is often necessary for clinical improvement. Patients may also exhibit immune-mediated reactions after successful antibiotic therapy.