On the last Sunday of January is World Leprosy Day. It focuses on trying to meet the target of zero cases of leprosy related disabilities in children. Disabilities do not occur overnight, but happen after a prolonged period of undiagnosed disease. Early detection is key to achieve this target, alongside scaling up interventions to prevent leprosy transmission.
What is Leprosy?
Leprosy is a disease that causes disfigured skin sores and nerve damage to arms, legs and skin areas on the body. It is an extremely infectious disease.
What are the symptoms:
The main symptoms are skin sores, lumps or bumps that do not go away after several weeks. The nerve damage which is caused can lead to loss of feeling in the arms and muscle weakness.
What is the Treatment:
Leprosy is treated with Multidrug therapy. This is when a combination of drugs is used, as only one antileprosy drug (monotherapy) will result in the development of drug resistance to that drug.
If you notice anything, it is best to consult your medical practitioner.
References:
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