Where is leprosy more common in the world?

Where is leprosy more common in the world?

Lived in a country where leprosy is more common, such as India, Brazil, China, Indonesia, or parts of Africa

How is leprosy transmitted from person to person?

Leprosy mainly affects the skin, the peripheral nerves, mucosa of the upper respiratory tract, and the eyes. The bacillus is likely transmitted via droplets, from the nose and mouth, during close and frequent contact with untreated cases.

How did the disease leprosy get its name?

Leprosy has affected humanity for thousands of years. The disease takes its name from the Greek word λέπρᾱ (léprā), from λεπῐ́ς (lepís; “scale”), while the term “Hansen’s disease” is named after the Norwegian physician Gerhard Armauer Hansen.

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 some facts about leprosy?

Leprosy is a chronic, progressive bacterial infection caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium leprae . 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.

Where do leper colonies still exist?

Leprosy has been a fully curable disease since the 1940s and, in September 2016, health officials even introduced an effective vaccine for the malady. Yet hundreds of quarantine sites called leper colonies still exist — most of them in India.

How do you treat leprosy?

Take a multiple drug treatment (MDT) provided by your doctor. A number of antibiotics (usually a combination of dapsone, rifampicin and clofazimine) are prescribed to treat leprosy. These drugs kill the bacteria that causes the disease ( Mycobacterium leprae ) and cure people infected by it.

What is the treatment for leprosy?

Treatment of Leprosy The best way to cure the affliction is antibiotics. In order to attain cosmetic improvements to negate skin damage, doctors may recommend surgery. The widely used treatment to cure leprosy is Multi-drug Treatment (MDT).