Leprosy Causes, Symptoms and Prevention

Leprosy disease is usually provoked by the bacteria named Mycobacterium leprae. It damages the body’s surface as well as the peripheral nervous system. The nerves in extremities are the target. Leprosy progresses smoothly. It may take up to 40 (!) years to release its full potential. The skin lesions become rather disfiguring. Usually, a person-to-person contact is the main channel of expansion.

It takes a while for Mycobacterium leprae to reproduce inside the organism. It develops inside the cells. As a rule, it needs at least two weeks to progress. Other bacteria grow within several minutes or maximum hours. The most comfortable temperature for Mycobacterium leprae is 80.9 F-86 F. That is why it prefers chilly body organs and zones like nose, eyes, and extremities, especially feet and arms.

Do you wonder how to detect the disease? By knowing its main symptoms, it is possible to decide if you have any chance. As far as the problem mainly attacks body surface and the nerves, it is easy to guess where the symptoms are mostly present. The peripheral nerves are located in our brain. If the bacteria gets in, it also affects the eyes and areas inside the nose.

Have you noticed someone with the disfiguring skin sores? Watch out, as this person may be infected. People who suffer from this diagnosis also have blisters and lumps on the skin. These irritators do not leave the body during several weeks or even months, which creates a certain level of discomfort. The injuries are pale or almost white. Because of the nerve injury, the person may stop sensing the extremities.

Person also feels a general weakness in muscles. Sometimes, people wait for three to five years to have the issue diagnosed properly. The symptoms may be hiding for twenty or more years!

There are certain risk factors one should take into account to avoid leprosy. The populations living in the particular areas of expansion are constantly under the threat. The leprosy is endemic in regions where monkeys and their relatives live. The bacteria are passed via close face-to-face contact with the infected individuals or animals.

In case you have troubles with the functionality of your immune system, you must be especially careful. These problems are often the genetic defects that parents or other family members may share with the child. People with region q25 on chromosome 6 have higher risks. It is better to keep away from the animals who may carry the harmful bacillus those are mostly African and Asian mammals. Put on gloves while contacting such species of animals.

Several known ways to diagnose leprosy properly exist. The physician will need to take several physical tests trying to detect the hidden symptoms ASAP. Be ready to give away a tiny sample of skin. Wait for the lab results and conclusion. A lepromin exam is another popular method to identify this disease. This is a bit riskier as the procedure requires injecting some number of leprosy-causing bacteria into the body. This examination usually takes place in the region of upper limbs. If you get irritated at the injection site, it might be the clue.

You may ask, “Is there a way to avoid facing leprosy?” It is simple: stay away from the dangerous regions, avoid contacting the mammals listed above, do not contact the infected people – any secretions may create certain threats. It is important to take care of the persons with this diagnosis by providing them with the necessary antibiotics capable of treating this rare health condition. Those who share the same premise with the infected humans or animals have 8 times higher chances to catch the same bacteria. The disease is not hereditary, but the genes still matter, especially when it comes to the work of the immune system.