What type of disease is leprosy

The State of Victoria and the Department of Health shall not bear any liability for reliance by any user on the materials contained on this website. Skip to main content. Home Infections. Actions for this page Listen Print. Summary Read the full fact sheet. On this page. Symptoms of leprosy Leprosy — lost limbs are a myth Treatment for leprosy Vaccination against leprosy Where to get help. Symptoms of leprosy The main symptom of leprosy is skin lesions. However, it can affect the peripheral nervous system PNS sensory, motor and autonomic nerves by: sensory nerve damage — when the sensory nerves are damaged, they cannot register pain.

Damage to the autonomic nerves can cause hair loss and can affect the ability to sweat, leaving the skin dry and cracked and exposed to secondary infection. Leprosy — lost limbs are a myth Leprosy does not cause flesh to rot or fingers and toes to drop off. Treatment for leprosy Before the introduction of multi-drug therapy in the early s, leprosy could only be slowed but not cured, as the bacteria could not be killed. Vaccination against leprosy There is no vaccine generally available to specifically prevent leprosy.

Where to get help Your doctor. Leprosy , , World Health Organization. Give feedback about this page. Was this page helpful? Yes No. This article was contributed by: familydoctor. This information provides a general overview and may not apply to everyone. Talk to your family doctor to find out if this information applies to you and to get more information on this subject. You may hear conflicting reports from different sources. The U. Visit The Symptom Checker. Read More.

Food Poisoning. Acute Bronchitis. Eustachian Tube Dysfunction. Bursitis of the Hip. Abnormal Uterine Bleeding. High Blood Pressure. Home Diseases and Conditions Leprosy. Table of Contents. What is leprosy? Symptoms of leprosy Leprosy progresses very slowly. Depending on the type of leprosy, symptoms may include: Skin sores or lesions that do not heal after several months lesions are flat or slightly elevated and light in color or slightly red Skin lumps and bumps that can be disfiguring Numbness of the skin because of damage to the nerves under the skin Muscle weakness.

What causes leprosy? Children are more likely to develop leprosy than adults. How is leprosy diagnosed? Can leprosy be prevented or avoided? Leprosy treatment Leprosy is treated with antibiotics. Living with leprosy If left untreated, leprosy can cause permanent damage to the nerves in the fingers, toes, hands, and feet.

Questions to ask your doctor What antibiotic is best for me? Learn about other bacteria and parasites like pinworms and how to prevent…. Shigellosis is a bacterial infection that affects the digestive system. The Shigella bacterium is spread through contact with contaminated feces. As a boil on the skin matures, it typically develops a visible core of pus. Learn when to see a doctor, how to get the core out of a boil at home, and…. Q fever, also called query fever, is a bacterial infection caused by bacteria commonly found in cattle, sheep, and goats.

Humans typically get Q fever…. Health Conditions Discover Plan Connect. Medically reviewed by Stacy Sampson, D. What are the symptoms of leprosy? What does leprosy look like? How does leprosy spread? What are the types of leprosy?

How is leprosy diagnosed? How is leprosy treated? What are the potential complications of leprosy? How can I prevent leprosy? Article sources. Read this next. Medically reviewed by Alana Biggers, M. Sputum Stain for Mycobacteria. Medically reviewed by Jenneh Rishe, RN. How Do Antibiotics Work?