What is leprosy?

Leprosy is a medical condition, also known as Hansen's Disease, after Armauer Hansen, a Norwegian doctor who was the first to view the leprosy microbe under a microscope in 1873. You may think that it is a disease of the past. But leprosy is still highly prevalent affecting hundreds of people around the world, mainly in Asia, South America and Africa

What causes leprosy?

Leprosy is caused by bacteria, namely, Mycobacterium leprae (related to the organism causing TB). It is probably spread by airborne infection - coughing and sneezing. The first outward sign of leprosy is discolouration on the skin, usually associated with a loss of sensation.

Leprosy is still surrounded by myths, stigma and fear. It was thought that leprosy caused fingers and toes to drop off - it doesn't! However, because leprosy attacks surface nerves in cool spots of the body, the fingers and toes can become anaesthetic and - they stop feeling pain. They can then easily become injured through cuts, burns and bruises on account of loss of sensation. Infection sets which results in tissue loss, fingers and toes shorten as cartilage is absorbed by the body and bones become irreparably damaged.

While leprosy doesn't cause fingers or toes to drop off, it is capable of causing deformity and even blindness if left untreated.

Is leprosy infectious?

Yes, but it is very difficult to catch. The infection cannot be transfered by a handshake. Over 95% people have good immunity against leprosy.

Is leprosy curable?

Leprosy is curable with Multi Drug Therapy (MDT), a powerful combination of two to three drugs: clofazimine, rifampicin and dapsone. Mild, non-infectious cases of leprosy need treatment with two drugs for 6 months. More severe infectious cases need three drugs for a year. However no effective preventative vaccine - which is why early detection and treatment by MDT are so vital.

How many people are affected by leprosy?

World Health Organisation (WHO) figures show that there were over 224,717 new cases of leprosy detected at the beginning of 2007. However, many cases will still go undetected each year, particularly in very rural areas where basic health care is limited.

In addition, the total number of people affected by leprosy, including those who have completed their medical treatment but have a disability or are stigmatised remains very high. Fear of the disease, often causes rejection and exclusion from home and community, and can often do more damage than the disease itself.