Leprosy is a painful condition which, although curable, can leave sufferers deformed and crippled if left untreated. It is caused by a bacteria similar to that which causes tuberculosis.

Leprosy forms

Leprosy has two common forms, tuberculoid and lepromatous, and these have been further subdivided. Both forms produce lesions on the skin, but the lepromatous form is most severe, producing large disfiguring nodules. All forms of the disease eventually cause peripheral neurological damage manifested by sensory loss in the skin and muscle weakness.

Types of Leprosy

Tuberculoid
Borderline tuberculoid
Midborderline
Borderline lepromatous
Lepromatous

Causes of Leprosy

Leprosy is caused by the organism Mycobacteriumleprae. It is a difficult disease to transmit and has a long incubation period, which makes it difficult to determine where or when the disease was contracted. Children are more susceptible than adults to contracting the disease.

Symptoms of Leprosy

Leprosy symptoms are a chronically stuffy nose and many skin lesions and nodules on the front and back of the body. loss starts at the fingers and toes and may only affect a small patch of skin to begin with. The loss of sensation can lead to unnoticed injuries which may in turn become infected.

Diagnosed of Leprosy

Leprosy can be diagnosed on clinical signs alone.

Treatment of Leprosy

leprosy completely removed from the body it can only be halted using a multi-drug treatment.
patients are taught to take care of them selves using a kind of visual check if they have significant nerve damage. Without the sensations of pain to identify cuts and bruises, patients must watch themselves constantly or be subject to dangerous infection.