Leprosy

Hansen's Disease

The culprit...

Symptoms

• Disfiguring and pale skin sores, lumps, and bumps
• -Numbness in legs and arms
• Paralysis of legs and arms 
• Eye problems that may lead to blindness
• Enlarged nerves, esp. around elbows and knees

Incubation Period

• On average, asymptomatic for 3-5 years
• May be as long as 20 years
• Complications: Where and When

Types of Leprosy
Tuberculoid
Lepromatous

Current Treatments

• Currently-MTR
• Primary Drug: Dapsone
• Common Additional Drugs: Rifampin and Clofazimine
• Orally Taken
• Dose and Duration Vary By Patient Severity and Age

History of Cures

• Until Late 1940s- Chaulmoogra Nut Injections
• 1941- Promin is introduced
• 1950s- Dapsone pills become the choice treatment.
• 1970s- First successful MDT for leprosy is developed
• 1981- WHO recommends Dapsone, Rifampin, and Clofazamine

The biology behind m.leprae

• 1-8 microns long/ 0.2-0.5 microns in diameter
• Bacillus
• Longest doubling time of any known bacteria- 13 days
• Thrives at temperatures slightly lower than the human body
• Stains Gram-Positive

Route of infection

armadillos

Prevention

Leprosy today (2011 data)

Fun Facts on Leprosy in USA

• 65% of cases are reported in CA, FL, TX, NY, MA, HI, LA
• 213 new cases reported in 2009
• Patients are noninfectious after a few treatments- no isolation
• Without the nerve damage, Leprosy is a minor skin disorder 
• There were 189,018 cases of leprosy in the world at the end of 2012

Molokai