Understanding Leprosy

What is Leprosy?

Leprosy is a long-lasting infectious disease caused by a bacteria called Mycobacterium leprae. The disease mainly affects the skin and some nerves, which could lead to wounds on the skin, numbness, and muscle weakness. It spreads through long-term and close contact with someone who has leprosy, but it is not very contagious. Leprosy has been looked at in a very negative way for a long time, leading to those with leprosy being left out of societies and discriminated. The good news is that with early detection and medication, the disease can be cured, and any disabilities that come with leprosy can be prevented.

Symptoms of Leprosy

Skin colored or reddish patches with sensation loss

Raised patches in the skin

Nodules in the forehead, earlobes and the chin

Changes of the face

Thickened nerves at the neck or elbows

Ulcers in the hands and feet

Key Facts of Leprosy

Leprosy is a long-lasting infectious disease caused by a bacteria, Mycobacterium leprae. It multiplies slowly, and the disease on average can take 5 years for symptoms to show.
The disease is curable with multidrug therapy.
Leprosy is likely transmitted via droplets, from the nose and mouth. Untreated leprosy can cause progressive and permanent damage to the skin, nerves, limbs, and eyes.
There were 202,256 new leprosy cases detected globally in 2019 according to official figures – including 118 countries from the 6 WHO Regions. This includes 14983 children below 15 years.
Among the new cases, 10,816 were detected with severe disability.

Myths Surrounding Leprosy

Myth: There is no Leprosy in the world today.

Fact: The oldest disease known to man is still around today. While most countries are almost completely free of leprosy, the disease still exists in large pockets around the globe. The largest number of cases a found in Asia, Africa, and South America. Around 200,000 people are diagnosed with the disease every year and millions more live with the consequences.

Myth: Leprosy is a curse, the result of sin, or punishment from God.

Fact: Leprosy is simply a bacterial infection transmitted from a person who is infected, who is not on treatment. It does not discriminate based on race, gender, class, age, or religion. It has nothing to do with curses or sin.

Myth: Leprosy makes parts of your body fall off.

Fact: The disease itself does not cause parts of the body to fall off; however, it does cause shortening of the bones and joints.

Myth: Wealthy people don’t get leprosy.

Fact: Leprosy affects individuals with weakened immune systems. The disease often spreads in poorer areas due to poor sanitation and nutrition, but it all depends on a person’s predisposition and the state of their immune system. It can affect the wealthy as well as the poor.

Myth: Leprosy cannot be cured.

Fact: Leprosy is curable with a treatment known as multi-drug therapy, or MDT. After receiving MDT for 72 hours, the treatment prevents the disease from spreading and the leprosy is no longer infectious.

Myth: You shouldn’t touch anyone with leprosy because it’s highly contagious.

Fact: Leprosy is only a mildly infectious disease that 95 percent of the world’s population is already immune to. Leprosy is not easily transmitted and those affected by it are not “untouchable”. Once a person has received Multi-Drug Therapy (MDT) for 72 hours, they are no longer infectious.

Sources : WHO & ALC