Leprosy Symptoms

Look for them in the Valley of the Lepers, if you can recognize them. It goes on. It goes on, Judah. The race, the race is not over. ~ Messala

The above dialog is an extract from the conversation between Ben Hur and Messala. Ben Hur's mother and sister were banished from the city as they had contracted leprosy. As you can see, since time immemorial, it has been clouded with fear and prejudice. This is a disease that is feared by one and all. There are many myths surrounding this disease and one of the most common myths is that the infected body parts fall off. Patients are socially stigmatized and forced to live an isolated life away from the community. Leprosy is a treatable and manageable condition today. In US, there have been less than 100 reported cases in a year.

What is Leprosy
It, also known as Hansen's disease, is a bacterial infection caused by Mycobacterium leprae and Mycobacterium lepromatosis. The peripheral nerves and mucosa of the upper respiratory tract are affected with this granulomatous disease. It causes ugly skin sores, nerve damage and progressive debilitation. The symptoms cause disfigurement in appearance. This is the main reason why people with suffering from this disease were stigmatized. The sudden ugly change in looks made people scared of the patients. Therefore, in olden times, they were sent away from the communities.

Although, this is a very serious condition, it is very hard to catch the leprosy bacteria. There are two forms of the disease: tuberculoid and lepromatous. The second type is the most severe form of the two. When infected with the bacteria, most people will not notice the symptoms immediately. The incubation period may last for a few months to many years or decades. Therefore, in most cases, immediate observation of any sign is not possible.

Symptoms
They may start after three to five years of the incubation period. The skin and peripheral nerves are the first ones to get affected. One develops skin lesions that are lighter in color than the normal skin color. These lesions show decrease in sensation to touch, heat as well as pain. These lesions do not heal even after several months. Gradually, a person begins to show numbness and lack of sensation in hands, legs, arms and feet. The type of leprosy affecting an individual is distinguished by the symptoms exhibited.

In case of tuberculoid type, one may develop one or more red skin patches on the trunk and body extremities. The patient has decrease in sensation in these areas. Apart from the red patches, the patient develops severe pain, muscle weakness, skin stiffness, loss of fingers and toes, blindness, enlarged nerves near the elbow and knees. Lepromatous type is the most severe form of the disease. The indications include a rash on the face, ears, elbows, wrist, buttocks and knees. This skin rash is either flat or raised, small or large and can be dark or light in color. The eyebrows and eyelashes begin to thin, the skin on face thickens, nasal stiffness, swelling of the lymph nodes of groin and armpits are a few of the lepromatous leprosy evidences. Other indications include nosebleeds, scarring of the testes causing infertility and gynecomastia (enlarged male breasts).

A single infection or injury on the fingers and toes may lead to loss of fingers and toes. The person actually does not feel any pain or sensation on the extremities. Therefore, they never know they are injured leading to loss of extremities. Damage and scarring of the eyes may lead to blindness.

Transmission
Despite all the information related to symptoms of leprosy, scientists are still baffled about the mode of transmission. The general belief about its transmission is that it is through airborne nasal droplets. When a healthy person stays in contact with the infected person for a long time, he/she may contract the disease. However, there are certain factors that may influence the spread of disease. The level of susceptibility of an individual is very important. The environment factors, length of contact with infected person and genetics in some cases influence spread of disease. Therefore, it is commonly seen leprosy spreads from an infected spouse to healthy spouse, parents to children, siblings to siblings, etc. Also, an infected mother cannot transmit the disease to her unborn child. This is not a sexually transmitted disease. Animal to human transmission is very, very, rare.

Treatment
In the olden times, there was no cure for leprosy. However, with the advancement of medical science, today it can be cured using antibiotics. Early diagnosis of symptoms and prompt treatment will help minimizing or avoiding the ill effects of the disease to a great extent. Antibiotics are prescribed for about 6 months. One needs to follow the entire regime of antibiotics without a break to be fully cured of the disease. In some cases, orthopedic surgeons, eye doctors and physical therapists are needed to provide supportive care. Cosmetic and reconstructive surgery is needed in some cases.

If one has remained in contact with an infected person for a really long time, one should seek medical diagnosis. Children are more susceptible to leprosy infection than adults. People infected with leprosy face a lot of physical as well as psychological hardships. Even today, social stigma is attached to the disease.