General Information About Leprosy
Disease Details and Frequently Asked Questions
It is a historic disease where a very slow-multiplying bacterium destroys the peripheral nerves, skin, and mucous membranes of the body, leading to permanent deformities and disabilities if left untreated.
No, contrary to popular belief, leprosy is a very difficult disease to transmit. It can only be contracted through very close contact in an enclosed environment with untreated patients over many months.
The incubation period of the disease can last 5-20 years. Numb (insensate to heat or pain) pale or reddish patches on the skin, muscle weakness, and thickened nodules on the skin are the initial symptoms.
Leprosy does not directly cause fingers to fall off. However, because the nerves die, the patient does not feel injuries or burns on their hands and feet. These unnoticed wounds become infected, causing tissue loss.
Diagnosis is made by a physician examining the numb patches on the skin and identifying the bacteria by examining a skin biopsy taken from the lesioned area under a microscope.
Yes, the disease is entirely curable. With Multidrug Therapy (MDT), in which 2 or 3 different antibiotics are used together, the patient loses their infectivity from the first doses, and the disease is cured.
Our health library contents are prepared for informational purposes only and with scientific data available at the time of recording. For all your questions, concerns, diagnosis, or treatment regarding your health, please consult your doctor or a healthcare institution.
