Pregnancy SmartSiteTM

Skip Navigation Schedule An Appointment

Normal Pregnancy

Staying Healthy

Alcohol and pregnancy Managing your weight gain in pregnancy Steps to take before you get pregnant When you need to gain more weight during pregnancy

What to expect during pregnancy

Aches and pains during pregnancy Choosing the right practitioner Common symptoms during pregnancy Hyperemesis Gravidarum Morning sickness Pregnancy and travel Pregnancy and work Problems sleeping during pregnancy Skin and hair changes during pregnancy Teenage pregnancy

Preparing to go home with your baby

Cribs and crib safety Eat right during pregnancy Preparing your other children

Visits and Tests

Amniocentesis Chorionic villus sampling Genetic counseling before pregnancy Glucose tolerance test-pregnancy Monitoring your baby before labor Nuchal translucency Prenatal care in your first trimester Prenatal care in your second trimester Prenatal care in your third trimester

Leprosy

Definition

Leprosy is a disease caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium leprae. This disease causes skin sores, nerve damage, and muscle weakness that gets worse over time.

Causes

Although leprosy is due to an infection, it does not spread easily. It also takes a long time before symptoms appear, which makes it hard to know where or when someone caught the disease. Children are more likely than adults to get the disease.

Most people who come in contact with the bacteria don't develop the disease. This is because their immune system is able to fight off the bacteria. Experts believe that the bacteria spread when a person breathes in tiny airborne droplets released when someone with leprosy coughs or sneezes. The bacteria may also be passed through contact with the nasal fluids of a person with leprosy. Leprosy has two common forms: tuberculoid and lepromatous. Both forms produce sores on the skin. However, the lepromatous form is more severe. It causes large lumps and bumps ().

Leprosy is common in many countries worldwide including India, Brazil and Indonesia. It is also found in temperate, tropical, and subtropical climates. About 170 to 200 cases per year are diagnosed in the United States. Most new cases in the United States were in:

  • Florida
  • California
  • Hawaii
  • New York
  • Oregon
  • Texas

    • Drug-resistant Mycobacterium leprae and an increased numbers of cases worldwide have led to global concern for this disease.

    Symptoms

    Symptoms include:

  • that are lighter than your normal skin color
  • Lesions that have decreased sensation to touch, heat, or pain
  • Lesions that do not heal after several weeks to months
  • or lack of feeling in the hands, arms, feet, and legs

    • Exams and Tests

    Tests that are done include:

  • Skin scraping examination

    • The can be used to tell the two different forms of leprosy apart. This test is not used to diagnose the disease.

    Treatment

    Several antibiotics are used to kill the bacteria that cause the disease. These include:

  • Dapsone
  • Rifampin
  • Clofazimine
  • Fluoroquinolones
  • Macrolides
  • Minocycline

    • More than one antibiotic is often given together, and usually for months.

    Aspirin, prednisone, or thalidomide may be used to control inflammation.

    Outlook (Prognosis)

    Diagnosing the disease early is important. Early treatment helps:

  • Limit the damage
  • Prevent a person from spreading the disease
  • Reduce long-term complications

    • Possible Complications

    Health problems that may result from leprosy include:

  • Disfigurement
  • Muscle weakness
  • Permanent nerve damage in the arms and legs

    • People with long-term leprosy may lose the use of their hands or feet. This is due to repeated injury because they lack feeling in those areas.

    When to Contact a Medical Professional

    Contact your health care provider if you have symptoms of leprosy, especially if you have had contact with someone who has the disease. Cases of leprosy in the United States must be reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

    Prevention

    People on long-term medicine become noninfectious. This means they do not transmit the organism that causes the disease.

    References

    Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. Hansen's disease (leprosy). About Hansen's disease. www.cdc.gov/leprosy/about/index.html. Updated April 11, 2024. Accessed June 19, 2024.

    Dogra S. Leprosy (Hansen disease). In: Goldman L, Cooney KA, eds. Goldman-Cecil Medicine. 27th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2024:chap 301.

    Dupnik K. Leprosy (Mycobacterium leprae). In: Bennett JE, Dolin R, Blaser MJ, eds. Mandell, Douglas, and Bennett's Principles and Practice of Infectious Diseases. 9th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 250.

    Schedule An Appointment

    Contact Atlanta Obsetrics and Gynaecology at The Womens Center Millennium Hospital - 404-ATL-BABY

    GO

    Review Date: 8/26/2023

    Reviewed By: Jatin M. Vyas, MD, PhD, Associate Professor in Medicine, Harvard Medical School; Associate in Medicine, Division of Infectious Disease, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.