It is difficult to catch, and it can take many years to develop symptoms of the disease following an infection. However, people who catch the disease can easily be cured with antibiotics. We can learn to recognize symptoms and know when to see a physician for diagnosis. In some countries, the law allows a person to legally divorce a spouse because they are affected by the disease. Unfortunately, this may leave many women destitute, homeless, and unable to care for their children.
Education and improving access to basic health services for all are keys to successful elimination of stigma and disability associated with the illness. Here are seven common questions and answers about the disease so you can get the facts. The reactions can also contribute to nerve damage. The skin around bumps may swell and become red and painful, and the bumps may form open sores.
People may have a fever, swollen lymph glands, and painful joints. Doctors may suspect leprosy based on symptoms, such as distinctive rashes that do not disappear, enlarged nerves, loss of the sense of touch, and deformities that result from muscle weakness.
But in the United States, doctors may not think of leprosy because it is rare and they are unfamiliar with its symptoms. Examination of a sample of infected skin tissue under a microscope biopsy confirms the diagnosis. Because leprosy bacteria do not grow in the laboratory, culture of tissue samples is not useful. Blood tests to measure antibodies to the bacteria have limited usefulness because antibodies are not always present.
Antibodies are produced by the immune system to help defend the body against a particular attacker, including leprosy bacteria. Because leprosy is not very contagious, risk of spread is low. Only the untreated lepromatous form is contagious, although even then the infection is not easily spread. Once treatment has begun, leprosy cannot be spread.
Antibiotics can stop the progression of leprosy but do not reverse any nerve damage or deformity. Thus, early detection and treatment are vitally important. Because leprosy bacteria become resistant to an antibiotic if it is used alone, doctors prescribe more than one drug.
Because the bacteria are difficult to eradicate, antibiotics must be continued for a long time. Depending on the severity of the infection, antibiotics are taken for 6 months to many years. Multibacillary: The standard combination of drugs is dapsone , rifampin , and clofazimine. In the United States, people are given rifampin , dapsone , and clofazimine once a day for 24 months.
They take dapsone plus clofazimine once a day on their own. This regimen is continued for 12 months. Paucibacillary: In the United States, people are given rifampin and dapsone once a day for 12 months.
In other parts of the world, people take rifampin once a month with supervision and dapsone once a day without supervision for 6 months. People who have only a single affected skin area are given a single dose of rifampin , ofloxacin , and minocycline. Dapsone is relatively inexpensive and generally safe to use. It occasionally causes allergic rashes and anemia. Rifampin , which is more expensive, is even more effective than dapsone.
Its most serious side effects are damage to the liver, flu-like symptoms and, rarely, kidney failure. Clofazimine is extremely safe. The main side effect is temporary skin pigmentation, which may take months to disappear.
Inflammatory reactions to leprosy are treated with corticosteroids. This did not mean total eradication of the disease, and there were still many cases in pockets all over the world.
However, once the target was reached, resources at the country level were often focused on other diseases and efforts to find and treat newcases diminished. The situation is that newcases were diagnosed in the Americas in Leprosy is closely linked to poverty.
The stigma still associated with leprosy remains a barrier to ending transmission, as people are often reluctant to get diagnosed or seek help. It can also have a devastating impact on people's lives, long after they have been cured. We want to stop the transmission of leprosy, prevent disabilities and promote social inclusion by ending discrimination. The Organization provides medication free of charge to all people who need it, through donations from the Novartis Foundation for Sustainable Development.
R9, which includes implementation of the plan for the elimination of neglected infectious diseases, including leprosy. Frequently Asked Questions. Preventing Leprosy-Related Disabilities in Children. What are the symptoms? This type of leprosy may affect organs such as the kidneys, testicles in men , eyes, and nose. Leprosy is not very contagious.
Most cases of leprosy are from repeated and long-term contact with someone who has the disease. Doctors believe that leprosy might be passed from person to person. This happens by breathing in droplets that get into the air when infected people cough or sneeze. Most people who come in contact with M. However, people whose immune systems are weakened from chronic disease such as diabetes , HIV , AIDS , or heart disease may be more likely to develop leprosy.
This is because their immune systems are not strong enough to fight the bacteria. Your doctor will ask you questions about your medical history and the symptoms you are experiencing. They will probably want to remove a tiny piece of the affected skin called a biopsy to check for the M. Even though the risk of catching leprosy is very low, you can still reduce your risk. The best way to prevent leprosy is to avoid contact with body fluids and the rashes of people who have leprosy.
Leprosy is treated with antibiotics. Antibiotics can kill all the M. This is why early treatment is important. You may need to take antibiotics for 6 months or longer, depending on the severity of your infection. If left untreated, leprosy can cause permanent damage to the nerves in the fingers, toes, hands, and feet.
Repeated injuries and nerve damage can cause muscle weakness, deformities, and even the loss of fingers and toes.
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