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About Leprosy
What exactly is
leprosy?
Leprosy (also known as Hansen’s disease) is a chronic disease
caused by a bacillus:mycobacterium leprae. It affects principally
the skin, the upper respiratory tract, peripheral nerves in hands
and feet, and the eyes.
How is it transmitted?
Leprosy is transmitted mainly via droplets from the nose. There
is no need to isolate
patients because contact and living with those affected only very
rarely result in
transference with development of the disease.
How infectious is it?
Some 95% of us have a natural immunity to leprosy. The remaining
5% become
vulnerable, mainly through poor nutrition, poor living conditions,
lack of hygiene and
a weakened immune system. Leprosy is not hereditary.
What are the signs of leprosy?
The first sign is a discoloured insensitive patch on the skin, then
thickened and palpable cutaneous nerves.
How is it diagnosed?
Diagnosis is not always straightforward. The most reliable method
is a skin-smear scan in the laboratory.
Why are people with leprosy often
so disfigured?
People with leprosy lose all feeling in the affected areas. There
is diminished awareness of harm from trauma or heat. Without treatment,
this can lead to permanent damage to skin, nerves, limbs and eyes.
Is there a cure?
Leprosy is curable by Multi-Drug Therapy (MDT), available free from
the World Health Organisation. If MDT is taken in the early stages
of the disease, permanent damage to nerves is completely avoided.
Will it ever be eradicated?
Not while poverty, poor hygiene and overcrowding persist across
large areas of the
world. Long delays in diagnosis due to fear of rejection, shortage
of health service staff familiar with leprosy, and lack of a simple
and reliable test to confirm diagnosis, are all impedients.
How does St Francis Leprosy Guild
deal with it?
The Guild provides financial help to find, treat and rehabilitate
those with the disease
and to support those too infirm to work. It sponsors awareness programmes
to help
eliminate the stigma associated with leprosy.
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