World Leprosy Eradication Day 2021: Types, Causes, Diagnosis & Treatment

Every year, World Leprosy Eradication Day is observed on the last Sunday of the month of January, that is January 31 this year (2021). But in India, World Leprosy Eradication Day is observed on 30 January. The day aims to raise awareness on the prevalence and severity of Leprosy, a disease that is often believed to be extinct.

The theme of the World Leprosy Eradication Day 2021 campaign is Beat Leprosy, End Stigma and Advocate for Mental Well-Being. The theme was developed with the aim to elevate the level of care and attention people with leprosy receive; reports point out that it is not only the disease that is overlooked but also those affected by it.

In 2020, BIREME/PAHO/WHO developed and launched the World Leprosy Day Window of Knowledge, in partnership with the Regional Leprosy Program, which contains information for health professionals, researchers and the general public.

Leprosy is an infectious chronic disease that usually targets the nervous system, especially the feet, hands, and face. It is caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium leprae. Leprosy is also known as Hansen's disease.

According to the WHO report, the global prevalence at the end of 2016 was 171, 948 with a prevalence rate of 0.23 per 10,000 population ^[1] . Worldwide, 210,000 new cases are reported annually, of which 15,000 are children.

Leprosy disease spreads through contact with the mucous secretions of a person infected with leprosy. It usually happens when a person sneezes or coughs. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the disease has an average incubation period of five years.

Types Of Leprosy ^[2]

• Tuberculoid leprosy - It is a mild, less severe form of leprosy which causes few patches of pale-coloured skin. The skin may feel numb because of the damaged nerve underneath.
• Lepromatous leprosy - This type of leprosy affects the nerves, skin, and other organs. Lepromatous leprosy is more contagious.
• Borderline leprosy - This form of leprosy shows the features of both tuberculoid and lepromatous leprosy. It is also characterised by numerous asymmetrical lesions.

Leprosy spreads through contact with the mucosal secretions of a person with the infection and usually occurs when a person with leprosy sneezes or coughs. The disease is not highly contagious. However, close, and continuous contact with an untreated person for a longer period of time can lead to contracting leprosy.

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Symptoms Of Leprosy

• Skin lesions
• Muscle weakness
• Numbness in the hands, arms, legs and feet
• Loss of eyebrows or eyelashes
• Dry or thick skin
• Painless ulcers on the soles of feet
• Painless swelling or lumps on the face
• Discoloured patches of skin
• Enlarged nerves

Complications Of Leprosy

• Hair loss
• Muscle weakness
• Disfigurement
• Inability to use hands and feet
• Iritis, an inflammation of the iris in the eye
• Blindness
• Erectile dysfunction
• Infertility
• Permanent nerve damage in the legs and arms
• Glaucoma
• Chronic nasal congestion and nosebleeds
• Kidney failure

Diagnosis Of Leprosy ^[3]

A physical examination will be conducted by the doctor and a biopsy is also done by removing a small piece of skin or nerve and is sent to the laboratory for testing.

The doctor may also perform a lepromin skin test to determine the form of leprosy by injecting a small amount of inactivated leprosy-causing bacterium into the upper forearm.

A person with tuberculoid or borderline leprosy will yield positive results at the site of the injection.

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Treatment of Leprosy ^[4]

In 1995, WHO developed a multidrug therapy to cure all types of leprosy. In addition, several antibiotics are used to treat leprosy by killing the bacteria that cause it. These antibiotics are dapsone, clofazimine, minocycline, ofloxacin, and rifampin.

Anti-inflammatory medicines are used for leprosy treatment to control nerve pain and damage. These medicines include aspirin, thalidomide, or prednisone.

The treatment for leprosy could last for months or up to 1 to 2 years.

How To Prevent Leprosy

Avoid long-term, close contact with an untreated person (infected) with leprosy.

On A Final Note...

Leprosy is found in 127 countries, with 80 per cent of cases in India, Brazil and Indonesia. People affected by leprosy are often discriminated against and stigmatized, which has a negative impact on their access to diagnosis, the result of treatment and the result of care.