There are many diseases in the world that are best avoided. However, you still need to know about them in order to be able to protect yourself from infection. This is exactly what Hansen's disease is.
What it is?
At the very beginning, you need to understand what this problem is. Leprosy - what is this disease? This disease is of an infectious nature, it is caused by special microbacteria. It is characterized by a prolonged course, as well as lesions of the skin, nervous system, internal organs, musculoskeletal system and mucous membranes. It is worth saying that leprosy has been known since ancient times. They feared and feared her, since she was at that time an incurable and very terrible disease. However, modern scientists say that you can get infected only with prolonged contact.
Disease prevalence
Be sure to say where leprosy is common. The disease is mainly localized on the African continent and in Asia. However, it is also found in Latin America and Oceania. Nevertheless, the incidence record holders are India, China, Indonesia, Myanmar, Madagascar, Brazil, Nepal and Nigeria. If we talk about numbers, then to date, approximately 180 thousand patients with this diagnosis have been recorded. Most of them, about 80%, live in India. If we talk about Russia, today there are approximately 600 people on this territory with this diagnosis (mainly in Central Asia).
Ways of infection with leprosy
How Hansen's disease is transmitted and whether it can be infected from a sick person is worth telling more about this. Leprosy is a companion to poverty, poverty and unsanitary conditions. However, genetically determined features of the human immune system can also cause its occurrence. It is worth saying that approximately 95% of the population of the entire planet is not susceptible to this disease. And even after prolonged contact with the patient, these people cannot become infected. Routes of transmission of the disease are not yet fully understood. However, according to doctors, they can be as follows:
- Airborne droplet. That is, a healthy person can become infected if the patient coughs, sneezes and even speaks.
- Contact with contaminated soil. It is believed that leprosy is a disease of rural rather than urban residents.
- The disease can be transmitted along with mosquitoes.
- You can also get infected in tattoo parlors or hospitals if dirty tools are used.
Risk groups
We further consider a disease such as leprosy. What kind of disease it is, how it arises is understandable. Now we need to talk about the risk group, that is, about those people who are more likely to become infected with it:
- These are people who either live or go on business trips to potentially dangerous regions (especially some areas of countries such as India, Egypt, Nepal, China).
- People who have a genetic mutation on the sixth chromosome (at q25). It is she who affects the predisposition to infection with this disease.
- The breeding of certain animals, which may be carriers of the disease, can also be a danger. These are armadillos or chimpanzees.
Disease onset
Like all serious infectious diseases, leprosy is caused by special microbacteria. They enter the body of a healthy person, settle on the internal organs and begin to multiply actively. As a result of this, granulomas, special tubercles, which are created from cells of the immune system, arise. They form on the skin, in organs, bones, on nerve paths. In this case, it is worth remembering that the symptoms of the disease will vary depending on its type.
Symptoms of tuberculoid leprosy
Leprosy (disease) is divided into several types. The first of them is tuberculoid. What will the patient feel in this case? Mostly the skin is affected, and the nervous system can also be affected. Internal organs in this case most often do not hurt. At the very beginning of the disease, one or more foci of the disease appear on the human body. It can be a plaque, papule or spot (light, with a reddish tint). Further, if treatment is not started, these foci of the disease begin to merge with each other, forming huge formations with burgundy edges. Small formations may occur on the limbs of a person, as well as on his face. In this case , the affected area becomes numb, loses sensitivity. If damage to the nervous system occurs, then near the skin lesions, you can feel the inflamed and thickened nerve trunks. Later, motor activity of the hands (the so-called bird's paw) and feet (hanging foot syndrome) may be impaired. At the same time, the nutrition of the skin is disturbed, it becomes easily vulnerable and brittle. Mutation often develops. This is a spontaneous separation of an already dead section of the patient’s body.
Symptoms of the lepromatous type
Hansen's disease can also be of lepromatous type. What then can happen to the patient? It is worth saying that it is this type of disease that is the most dangerous, and its course - the most severe. In most cases, a person becomes disabled, and often patients die. The onset of the disease is characterized by the appearance of shiny spots on the skin, which are not too different from healthy skin. Sensitivity is maintained. Over time, small tumors begin to form on the body (especially on the face). With the development of the disease, the appearance of a person is more and more distorted. A so-called lion face may arise. Ulcers often appear on these formations, infection occurs, which significantly aggravates the patient's condition. Other symptoms that may appear with the development of the disease:
- In men, orchitis can occur - inflammation of the testicle.
- Disturbed sensitivity in the limbs.
- Finger contractures may form, often mutation occurs.
- Eye damage may occur, leading to blindness.
- Often the mouth and larynx are affected, which leads to a change in voice.
- If granulomas form on the internal organs, they interfere with their normal functioning.
It should also be said that Hansen's disease can have borderline symptoms of two types of disease.
Diagnosis of the disease
Chronic and acute infectious diseases can most often be diagnosed by their external manifestations. The same goes for leprosy. So, the following most important indicators can indicate that the patient has the disease:
- Characteristic spots on the skin that lead to thickening of the nerve trunks.
- Identification of special microbacteria. In this case, the integrity of the granuloma will be violated, a scraping will be taken from it and the contents will be examined under a microscope.
Treatment
It is worth mentioning that earlier leprosy was considered an incurable disease, and patients with similar symptoms were isolated from society. Today, this problem can be completely eliminated. However, it should be remembered that the treatment of serious diseases, including such as leprosy, is a very long-term event. In this case, the patient is hospitalized in the so-called leper colony - a special place where he not only undergoes treatment, but also lives, and may even acquire an economy. Moreover, all family members of the patient must also undergo a specialized examination, which helps to identify a possible infection. Ways to treat the disease:
- The use of antibiotics. They can eliminate chronic infectious diseases, including leprosy. The type of medication in this case, as well as the duration of its administration, may vary depending on the type of disease. However, with this ailment, the following medications are most often used: Dapsone, Ofloxacin, Rifampicin.
- Anti-inflammatory therapy will also be required. In such cases, the patient is prescribed a course of the drug "Acetylsalicylic acid", sometimes - "Prednisolone."
If, over the course of a year, the patient does not show microbacteria characteristic of leprosy, he may go for outpatient treatment. In this case, it will be necessary to fight only with the consequences of the disease and its external manifestations. At the same time, a person becomes completely non-contagious to others. In some cases, patients need the help of a psychologist or psychotherapist.