Leprosy

If the condition is left untreated, leprosy can lead to amputations

Leprosy is one of the oldest recorded diseases. It is a chronic infectious disease that attacks the nervous system, particularly the nerves of the hands, feet and face. Sufferers feel no pain in these areas and are thus likely to injure themselves without realising it.

What is Leprosy?

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.

There are three types of the disease. The generalised form - the lepromatous form - attacks peripheral nerves, the skin, the hands and feet, the mucous membranes (such as the lining of the nose), and the eyes.

In contrast, the tuberculoid form is localised, so its affects are less widespread across the body.

The third type is known as borderline or dimorphous leprosy, and is has characteristics of both other forms.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates there are 830,000 cases of the disease worldwide. It is most prevalent in poverty-stricken areas of in Asia, Africa and Latin America.

The Fifteenth International Congress on Leprosy is currently meeting in Beijing to assess progress towards the WHO's goal of achieving a world without leprosy by the year 2000.

What are the symptoms?

The disease is difficult to diagnose accurately even today, but is characterized by cuts on the body coupled with loss of sensation.

Lepromatous leprosy symptoms are a chronically stuffy nose and many skin lesions and nodules on the front and back of the body.

Sensation 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.

In advanced cases, gangrene will set in and flesh will rot on the patient.

Tuberculoid leprosy symptoms are a few well-defined skin lesions that are numb.

Sensation loss may only affect a small patch of skin. Again, the loss of sensation can lead to unnoticed injuries and infection.

Dimorphous leprosy creates skin lesions characteristic of the lepromatous and tuberculoid forms.

What is the outlook?

The disease is curable, but the effectiveness of the treatment is dependant on an early diagnosis.

Since 1982 the WHO has recommended multidrug therapy (MDT). Patients are given a cocktail of strong antibiotics which can completely cure the tuberculoid form of the disease within six months and the more infectious lepromatous form within two years.

A combination of drugs must be used because the leprosy bacteria can develop resistence to antibiotics very quickly.

If treatment is started early, deformities and disabilities can be prevented.

MDT also makes the few highly-infectious patients non-infectious very quickly, which helps prevent the spread of leprosy.

To date more than eight million patients have been totally cured of leprosy.

However, because most cases of the disease occur in difficult to reach places, many of them are not treated early enough.

Is help available?

LEPRA (The British Leprosy Relief Association) is a medical charity which shares the WHO goal of eradicating the disease. It aims to identify cases early and ensure prompt treatment.

The International Federation of Anti-Leprosy Associations provides an umbrella organisation for non-governmental leprosy groups around the world.

This page contains basic information. If you are concerned about your health, you should consult a doctor.