Leprosy Causes, Symptoms and Treatment

What is leprosy? Leprosy is caused by a chronic bacterial infection caused by the bacteria mycobacterium leprae. It affects the nerves of extremities, skin, nose lining, and upper respiratory tract. Leprosy is otherwise known as Hansen’s disease. They usually produce ulcers in the skin, nerve damage, and muscle weakening. If it is not treated, it leads to disfigurement and disability. This disease was one among the oldest diseases and was discovered in 600 B.C.

The main symptoms of Hansen's disease are muscle weakness, skin lesions, skin ulcers, and numbness in the hands, feet, arms, and legs. Skin lesions don't respond to heat, cold, or pain as they become numb. The skin looks reddened and inflamed due to ulcers. Skin also shows light-colored or red-colored patches, joint pain, and disfiguring skin sores, often seen in patients with leprosy. These symptoms don't heal, and it continues for several weeks

Does Hansen's disease spread? As known already, mycobacterium leprae is the bacterium that usually causes leprosy. It spreads through close contact with the infected person, and it spreads through the mucosal secretion of the person with the infection. It happens through the droplet infection that spreads through coughing or sneezing from the individual who is left untreated for a long time. Mycobacterium leprae which multiplies very slowly and has an average incubation period (which is the time between the infection and first symptoms that is observed after infection).

What are the different types of Hansen’s disease? There are 3 types of Hansen's disease: tuberculoid Hansen's disease, lepromatous Hansen's disease, and borderline Hansen's disease. In tuberculoid Hansen's disease, the infections exhibit fewer lesions, where the disease is mild and less contagious. Lepromatous Hansen's disease affects all the areas of the skin, underlying nerves, and other organs. The nodules look like lumps and bumps, and this type of leprosy is more contagious. In the last type, both the symptoms from the tuberculoid type and lepromatous type are combined and seen in borderline Hansen's disease.

How will you diagnose Hansen's disease? The doctor will conduct a physical examination and observe for telltale signs and symptoms of the disease. Another diagnostic method is the biopsy, where a small portion of skin or a lesion is removed and sent for laboratory testing. A lepromin skin test is performed by injecting a small amount of bacterium, which is in an inactive form that causes leprosy in the region of the forearm. Patients with leprosy will show a positive reaction at the injection site after infusion.

The treatment plan for leprosy includes multi-drug therapy formulated by WHO in 1995 to cure all types of Hansen's disease. Multi-drug therapy is a combination therapy where several antibiotics are added to kill bacteria that cause leprosy. The doctor will prescribe more than one antibiotic at the same time. Several antibiotics include, dapsone, clofazimine, minocycline, rifampin, ofloxacin and also anti-inflammatory medication is taken in addition to antibiotics.

Thalix 50mg Capsule is used to reduce inflammation and regulate the immune system. This is used in the treatment of leprosy for treating skin lesions. They are used in moderate to severe leprosy and the prevention of the recurrence in skin lesions in leprosy. Some common side effects include anxiety, chills, confusion, dizziness, and lightheadedness. Inform your doctor before you use this medication if you are planning for pregnancy or you are pregnant since it causes birth defects.