Question

What is Hansen’s disease (its etiological agent, mode of transmission, clinical manifestations and prevention)?

Answer 1

Leprosy is a gradually developing, progressive disease which damages the skin and nervous system. The cause of this disease is an infection with Mycobacterium leprae or M. lepromatosis bacteria. Premature symptoms start in cooler areas of the body, including loss of sensation. The main Signs of leprosy are painless ulcers, skin lesions of hypopigmented macules , and eye damage . In the later stages, large ulcerations, loss of digits, skin nodules, and facial disfigurement may occur.The infection is believed to be spread from person to person by means of nasal secretions or droplets. Susceptibility to getting leprosy may possibly be because certain human genes. Antibiotics are employed for the treatment of leprosy.

However, human-to-human transmission is the main source of infection, three other species can rarely carry transfer M. leprae to humans.
Furthermore, there is some evidence or confirmation that genetic defects in the immune system may be a cause for many people to be more likely to become infected. Many investigators suppose the infected droplets can infect other people by entering breaks in the skin.
The majority of cases which are mainly clinically diagnosed are treated with help of antibiotics.
Prevention of getting in contact with droplets of the nasal and other secretions from patients with untreated M. leprae infection is at present the most effective way to avoid the disease.