Leprosy Decoded: A Guide to Its Causes, Symptoms and Modern Treatments

An infectious condition called leprosy damages nerves in the limbs, legs and other parts of the body and creates painful, deformable skin sores. Leprosy has been around since antiquity. However, leprosy is not very communicative. Only if you repeatedly and closely come into contact with the mouth and nose droplets of an untreated leprosy patient can you contract it.

What exactly is leprosy?

Leprosy is a bacterial infection. It is also known as Hansen’s disease. Leprosy causes nerve damage and disfiguring sores in the eyes, akin, mucous membranes and nerves. Leprosy has existed since antiquity. Because leprosy was not well understood, people avoided and secluded those who had it for generations. People with leprosy do not need to be quarantined because there is now an effective treatment for the disease.  

Mycobacterium leprae is the causative agent of leprosy, commonly referred to as Hansen’s disease, a chronic infectious illness. Skin, peripheral nerves, upper respiratory tract mucosal surfaces and eyes are all impacted by the illness. It is recognised that leprosy can strike at any age, from early childhood to old life. Leprosy is treatable, and disability can be avoided with early treatment. Droplets from the mouth and nose spread leprosy when people come into close, regular contact with untreated individuals.  

Leprosy is not very contagious, yet it can pass from person to person. Although the exact mechanism by which the sickness spreads is unknown, experts believe that airborne droplets from an infected person’s cough or sneeze are most likely how the bacteria is transferred. When bacteria are released into the environment, they can be inhaled by other people. Hugging, shaking hands, sitting next to an infected individual or even having intercourse cannot transfer leprosy.  

Types of leprosy

There are mainly three types of leprosy:  

• Tuberculoid leprosy: This type has mild leprosy symptoms and is the first stage of leprosy.  
• Lepromatous leprosy: This kind of leprosy is characterised by widespread sores and lesions affecting nerves, skin and organs. It is more contagious and quickly spreads from one person to another.  
• Borderline leprosy: Leprosy symptoms of both tuberculoid and lepromatous leprosy are exhibited in this type. It is also called dimorphous leprosy.  

What are the Leprosy symptoms?

The common signs and symptoms of leprosy include:

• Skin patches that may be red  
• Loss of skin pigmentation
• Skin patches with diminished sensations
• Numbness or tingling in hands, feet, arms and legs
• Painless wounds  
• Muscle weakness  
• Stiff skin
• Enlarged peripheral nerves
• Loss of eyelashes
• Nasal congestion
• Nose bleeds
• Paralysis
• Vision loss
• Permanent damage to the nose
• Shortening of fingers and toes
• Chronic ulcers on the bottom of the feet that don’t heal  

How is leprosy treated by using modern medicine?

Multidrug therapy, a strategy that combines many antibiotic kinds, is used to treat leprosy. Most of the time, the physician prescribes two or three different types of antibiotics simultaneously. When bacteria mutate and resist the antibiotic medications that often kill them, antibiotic resistance develops. The nerve damage that may arise from this condition cannot be treated with antibiotics. Anti-inflammatory medications are used to treat nerve damage.  

Conclusion

To conclude, leprosy is an infectious disease that damages nerves and causes painful, deformable skin sores on the arms, legs and other parts of the body. It mostly affects the skin and peripheral nerves, which are the nerves that are not a part of the brain or spinal cords. It can be cured by using multidrug therapy.