Leprosy

Leprosy Latest News

Recently, the Maharashtra government has officially declared leprosy a “notifiable disease.”

About Leprosy

• Leprosy is an infectious disease caused by a type of bacteria called Mycobacterium leprae.
• It is also known as Hansen’s disease.
• It primarily affects the skin, peripheral nerves, eyes and other organs.
• It is a neglected tropical disease (NTD) which still occurs in more than 120 countries, with around 200 000 new cases reported every year. 
• It was declared notifiable in 2005 uniformly under the National Leprosy Eradication Programme (NLEP), Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

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Transmission of Leprosy

• The disease is transmitted through droplets from the nose and mouth of an untreated case of leprosy, containing the causative agent, following prolonged, close contact. 
• The disease does not spread through casual contact (like shaking hands or hugging, sharing meals or sitting next to each other). 
• The patient stops transmitting the disease upon initiation of treatment.

Symptoms of Leprosy

• It usually takes about 3 to 5 years for symptoms to appear after you come into contact with the bacteria that cause leprosy.
• The main symptom of leprosy is disfiguring skin sores, lumps, or bumps that don’t go away after several weeks or months.
• In some cases, body parts may lose their sense of touch and pain, increasing the likelihood of injuries such as cuts and burns.

Treatment of Leprosy

• Leprosy is a curable disease. 
• The currently recommended treatment regimen consists of three medicines (dapsone, rifampicin and clofazimine) and is referred to as multi-drug therapy (MDT).

Source: IE