Sign and symptoms of leprosy disease

This disease is a slowly developing, progressive disease that damages the skin and nervous system.

Leprosy is a disease caused by a type of bacteria called Mycobacterium leprae. These bacteria attack nerves in the hands, feet and face, causing numbness and loss of sensation to those parts of the body. It can also affect the nose and the eyes.

It is classified into tuberculoid leprosy (TT), lepromatous leprosy (LL), borderline leprosy, and indeterminate leprosy (IL), according to the cellular immunity against M. leprae.

Early signs include discoloration or light patches on the skin with loss of sensation. Hypopigmented or erythematous macules are present in many newly diagnosed leprosy patients, and are often the first clinical sign of the disease. Many other conditions produce similar lesions, however. Therefore, to be specific for leprosy, the lesions must be accompanied by definite loss of sensation.

The longer the delay between the appearance of the first symptoms of leprosy and the start of treatment, the more likely nerve damage will occur. Untreated leprosy can cause progressive and permanent damage to the skin, nerves, limbs and eyes.

When nerves 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 to the feet. As a result, the person does not feel pain, and can have injuries to their hands and feet without realizing it. The damaged nerves also lead to the skin peeling off, and the tissue beneath the skin is exposed.
Sign and symptoms of leprosy disease

Leprosy

Leprosy, a chronic bacterial infection (also called Hansen’s disease) caused by Mycobacterium leprae that damages nerves in the skin, limbs, face and mucous membranes. Untreated leprosy can lead to severe complications, including blindness, and disfigurement, but leprosy can be cure with proper medication.

The modern term for the disease is named after the discoverer of the bacterium, Gerhard Armauer Hansen. Sufferers of Hansen’s disease have historically been known as lepers, however this term is falling into disuse as a result of the diminishing number of leprosy patients and the pejorative connotations of the term.

Contrary to popular belief, it is not highly contagious. While the disease still carries significant stigma, patient care has become integrated with routine health care.

Like tuberculosis, it is a very old disease which was already known in ancient times. Leprosy was first mentioned as a curse in Shinto prayers of 1250 BC. It was also mentioned in some Egyptian legends to explain the exodus of the Hebrews. For hundreds years, those with leprosy were taken to a priest, not a doctor and were found ‘guilty; not sick.

Outbreaks of the disease increase in poor socioeconomic conditions (lack of nutrition, bad physical constitution, insufficient hygienic measures). Leprosy primarily involves the skin and the peripheral nervous systems. Typical symptoms are a loss of hair, and impairment of sweet production and sensory disorders.
Leprosy