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a medical condition, also known as Hansen's Disease, which still affects
millions of people;
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caused by a bacillus, Mycobacterium leprae (a distant relative of the TB bacillus)
and is probably spread by airborne droplet infection.
The first outward sign of leprosy is loss of feeling in a patch on the skin;
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curable with Multi-Drug Therapy (MDT);
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capable of causing disability and even blindness if untreated by attacking
nerves under the skin, leading to loss of feeling, paralysis and unfelt injury of the hands, feet and face;
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difficult to catch and cannot be caught by a handshake. Over 95% of people are immune and after only a couple of days on treatment, sufferers are
no longer infectious;
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still prevalent in many parts of the world and nearly every minute someone is
diagnosed with leprosy;
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still surrounded by myths, stigma and fear which mean that it is more than a medical condition;
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without an effective preventative vaccine - which is why early detection and treatment with MDT are so vital;
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still a public health problem in many countries. An estimated tens
of millions of people around the world are affected by leprosy. |
