Leprosy, which is sometimes referred to as Hansen’s Disease, is a chronic and infectious disease that involves the nerves and skin. It is caused by a bacteria, so thankfully leprosy is easily treated today. In the past, wounds from those with leprosy would fester at the hands and feet, eventually leading to deformities and the idea that people with this disease should be shunned or considered as “unclean.” It may take several months to treat, but many of the debilitating conditions that leprosy used to cause can be a forgotten memory.
Here are some more important facts about this ancient disease that still causes endemic infections in some parts of the world.
1. India is the Leading Center of Leprosy
The nation of India accounts for over 50% of all the new leprosy cases in the world. Many of the countries that are dealing with this disease typically have dense population centers that are quite large. China, Indonesia, Bangladesh, and even Brazil all make up some of the top countries. In total, it is estimated that about 3 million people are currently living with permanent disabilities from leprosy just because these nations don’t have the adequate resources to treat every infections.
2. It Can Spread in an Instant, But Take Seemingly Forever to Incubate
Most researchers believe that leprosy spreads in the same way influenza or colds tend to spread. It is believed that droplets from the throat are expelled from coughing or sneezing and that these droplets are then inhaled by another person. Unlike the flu or a cold, however, the onset of the sickness can take a long time to develop. In some cases, the incubation period has been greater than 20 years. Even in regular cases, leprosy may take 2 to 8 years to become an active infection.
3. Leprosy is Not a Fan of Rifampicin
Rifampicin, a drug that is sometimes called rifampin, has remarkable powers to eliminate the bacteria that cause leprosy. The first drug, dapsone, was administered in the 1950s and it showed a lot of promise, but often required people to take it over the rest of their lives. This caused the bacteria to develop an immunity to it, so multi-drug treatment options that include rifampicin were created. Nearly 13 million people have been cured using it and other antibiotics that still include dapsone with very few side effects.
4. It’s Got a Nasty Relative
Leprosy is caused by a bacteria that is in the same family as tuberculosis. It’s close enough, in fact, that some people experience similar symptoms to TB when they have an active leprosy infection. When the hyper pigmentation of the skin develops as an indicator of leprosy, the symptoms of TB might also be present and that can sometimes delay an accurate diagnosis.
5. Leprosy is Eradicated in Many Places
In the UK, the last case of indigenous leprosy was diagnosed in 1798. About 12 new cases are diagnosed in countries without the disease every year, however, and most of them affect people in the 20-30 age demographic. Only about 7% of new cases affect children under the age of 15.
A new case of leprosy is diagnosed in the world today every 2 minutes. It has been eliminated in many countries, so it can be eliminated in India and elsewhere as well. By knowing these facts, we can work together to stop leprosy for good.