World Leprosy Day: 10 points about this bacteria-driven treatable illness - Times Now

When it comes to the symptoms of leprosy, the first and most prominent sign that patients are likely to notice is numbness. &nbsp | &nbspPhoto Credit:&nbspiStock Images

Key Highlights

• In truth, leprosy spreads only if a person repeatedly comes in contact with the nose and mouth droplets of an untreated patient.

• Leprosy does not spread through casual physical contact like shaking hands, hugging or sitting together in public transport, or eating meals together.

• Leprosy symptoms, in some cases, may also appear in as many as three to five years as well.

New Delhi: Leprosy, also known as Hansen's disease, is an infectious condition that affects the skin, peripheral nerves, lining of the nose, and the eyes. A chronic and curable condition, leprosy is caused by a slowly-growing bacterium known as Mycobacterium leprae. When it comes to the symptoms, leprosy patients are likely to witness light-coloured or red-coloured patches of skin with numbness and weakness in the hands and feet and reduced sensations.

In an interaction with Times Now Digital, Dr Joydeepa Darlong, Head of Knowledge Management at The Leprosy Mission Trust, spoke about the leprosy burden in India, what it stems from and the current scenario on its diagnosis and treatment.

"India has a high burden of leprosy cases and most of it stems from patients' lack of awareness and challenges pertaining to accessibility for diagnosis and treatment. Timely detection of this condition is critical as delayed detection can cause severe long-term nerve damage in patients. For this, it is important to put in efforts towards awareness creation among the public and capacity building of healthcare professionals. Moreover, it is equally important to ensure that treatment is accessible to those who need it," she added.

"It is important to understand that if leprosy is detected on time, most of the cases can be cured between 6 to 12 months. The multi-drug therapy (MDT), donated to World Health Organization (WHO) by Novartis and provided free of cost by the government has successfully treated 16 million leprosy patients since its introduction. As per the NLEP report for 2020-2021, 94.75% of cases in India were released from treatment as cured, post completion of full MDT course," Dr Darlong added.

Experts recommend timely diagnosis and treatment for this condition as leprosy – when detected at an early stage – can be cured within six to 12 months with multi-drug therapy. However, if left unattended for too long, leprosy may trigger irreversible damage. This World Leprosy Day, we took note of the top nine pointers on this condition that many people may not be well aware of. Keep reading.

1. Leprosy can spread with touch – not long ago, this condition was subject to a number of myths where it was believed that leprosy can spread via touch and its patients have been discriminated against for a very long time. This was because people felt that leprosy can spread easily if an individual comes in contact with the patient. In truth, leprosy spreads only if a person repeatedly comes in contact with the nose and mouth droplets of an untreated patient.
2. One may think that there can be no vulnerable groups when it comes to leprosy risk. However, in truth, there are certain people who are more prone to developing leprosy as opposed to others – it is children. Due to a weak or gradually-developing immune system, children are considered a high-risk group for leprosy.
3. Pregnant women with leprosy often worry about their children getting infected with leprosy. However, the good news is that leprosy does not spread to unborn babies. It does not transmit through sexual contact either. Additionally, leprosy does not spread through casual physical contact like shaking hands, hugging or sitting together in public transport, or eating meals together.
4. As reported by Medical News Today, the bacteria that triggers leprosy can take years to grow and appear – as many as 20 years. This is why patients are rarely able to recognise that the condition is worsening inside.
5. Leprosy symptoms, in some cases, may also appear in as many as three to five years as well. The duration between being infected and the symptoms appearing is known as the incubation period, and leprosy's long incubation period is why doctors struggle to determine when and how a patient may have gotten infected.
6. When it comes to the symptoms of leprosy, the first and most prominent sign that patients are likely to notice is numbness. This, along with sensations of fluctuating temperature, deep pressure, light pain, and touch, are likely to appear way before skin discolouration.
7. Leprosy can also render the eyes vulnerable to dryness and infection. The condition can hamper nerves responsible for blinking and may trigger vision loss and ulceration in extreme cases.
8. According to Medical News Today, leprosy is not particularly contagious. 95 per cent of the patients have natural immunity against the bacterium linked to this condition which is why, even after long exposure, they show no symptoms. ] In order to test a patient for leprosy, besides taking note of the symptoms, doctors test a skin or nerve sample of the patient.
9. Once the diagnosis is confirmed, doctors prescribe a combination of antibiotics – two to three – for one to two years. Experts say that giving various forms of antibiotics for treatment can help a patient reduce the risk of antibiotic resistance.
10. "The availability of treatment that can cure leprosy effectively means that what we need is voluntary reporting of leprosy cases. To this end, there needs to be a robust awareness campaign to deal with the stigma and discrimination associated with the disease and encourage those who are infected to come forward for treatment," Dr Darlong concluded. 

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Disclaimer: Tips and suggestions mentioned in the article are for general information purposes only and should not be construed as professional medical advice. Always consult your doctor or a dietician before starting any fitness programme or making any changes to your diet.

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