How does leprosy spread in the body?
How does leprosy spread in the body?
How is leprosy spread? It is not clear how the leprosy germ is spread, but household and prolonged close contact is important. The germs probably enter the body through the nose and possibly through broken skin. The germs get in the air through nasal discharge of untreated lepromatous patients.
Which is part of the body does leprosy affect?
The disease mainly affects the skin, the peripheral nerves, mucosa of the upper respiratory tract, and the eyes. Leprosy is curable and treatment in the early stages can prevent disability. Leprosy is an age-old disease, described in the literature of ancient civilizations.
What kind of disability does leprosy cause?
Leprosy still causes disability and social exclusion. It affects millions of lives. Leprosy continues to be a devastating disease if not detected and treated in time. It is an infectious disease, also known as Hansen’s disease, caused by a bacterium, Mycobacterium leprae that mainly affects the skin,…
How does Hansen’s disease and leprosy affect the body?
It primarily affects the nerves of the extremities, the skin, the lining of the nose, and the upper respiratory tract. Leprosy is also known as Hansen’s disease. Leprosy produces skin ulcers, nerve damage, and muscle weakness. If it isn’t treated, it can cause severe disfigurement and significant disability.
How long does leprosy last in a person?
Leprosy, also known as Hansen’s disease (HD), is a long-term infection by the bacteria Mycobacterium leprae or Mycobacterium lepromatosis. Initially, a person who is infected does not have symptoms and typically remains this way for 5 to 20 years.
What are the side effects of leprosy?
Effects of Leprosy. The following are the effects as well as complications: It can lead to skin cancer. It affects the skin at first and moves through the peripheral nerves to other parts of the body. Nerve injury. Weight loss. It can disfigure the face.
What is the prognosis for leprosy?
The prognosis of Leprosy may include the duration of Leprosy, chances of complications of Leprosy, probable outcomes, prospects for recovery, recovery period for Leprosy, survival rates, death rates, and other outcome possibilities in the overall prognosis of Leprosy. Naturally, such forecast issues are by their nature unpredictable.
What is the life cycle of leprosy?
Life-cycle Description. The bacteria Mycobacterium Leprae can have a difficult time replicating. When it finds a host it can take as long as 13 days to fully go through one replication cycle when not in the hosts’ cell.
What is the cure for leprosy?
Leprosy is curable with multidrug therapy. Treatment of paucibacillary leprosy is with the medications dapsone , rifampicin , and clofazimine for six months.