What causes Leprosy ?
A germ, or bacillus, called Mycobacterium leprae. It's called M. leprae for short.
Why is leprosy also called Hansen's disease?
Norwegian doctor Armauer Hansen was the first to view the bacillus under a microscope in 1873.
Do fingers and toes drop off when someone gets leprosy ?
No. The bacillus attacks nerve endings and destroys the body's ability to feel pain and injury. Without feeling pain, people injure themselves on thorns, rocks, hot coffee cups even from fire. Injuries become infected and result in tissue loss. Fingers and toes become shortened and deformed as the cartilage is absorbed into the body.
What are the early signs of Leprosy ?
Early signs include discolored or light patches on the skin with loss of sensation. When nerve trunks in the arm are affected, part of the hand becomes numb and small muscles become paralyzed, leading to curling of the fingers and thumb. When leprosy attacks nerves in the legs, it interrupts communication of sensation in the feet.
The feet can become subject to erosion through untended wounds and infection. If the facial nerve is affected, a person loses the blinking reflex of the eye, which can eventually leads to dryness, ulceration, and blindness. Bacilli entering the mucous lining of the nose can lead to internal damage and scarring which in time causes the nose to collapse. Untreated, leprosy can cause deformity, crippling, and blindness.
How is Leprosy cured ?
Leprosy can be cured with Multi Drug Therapy (MDT) a combination of antibiotics. MDT drugs are rifampin, clofazimine, and dapsone. Treatment can take from six months to a year, sometimes longer.
How do you catch Leprosy ?
M. leprae is transmitted primarily through coughing and sneezing. Bacilli are discharged, perhaps on droplets or dust particles that others inhale.
Is Leprosy very contagious ?
No. Approximately 95% of us have a natural immunity to leprosy.
How many people have Leprosy ?
A million people are receiving or need MDT. Another 2-4 million people suffer disabilities from leprosy and require ongoing care. However, more than half a million new cases are detected each year.
