Leprosy

Epic card · No. 2800

Leprosy, also known as Hansen's disease (HD), is a long-term infection by the bacterium Mycobacterium leprae or Mycobacterium lepromatosis. Infection can lead to damage of the nerves, respiratory tract, skin, and eyes. This nerve damage may result in the loss of nociception (the ability to feel physical pain), which can lead to the loss of parts of a person's extremities from repeated injuries or infection through unnoticed wounds. An infected person may also experience muscle weakness and loss of eyesight. Leprosy symptoms may begin within one year or take 20 years or more. Leprosy is spread between people, although extensive contact is necessary. Leprosy has a low pathogenicity, and 95% of people who contract or who are exposed to M. leprae do not develop the disease. Spread is likely through a cough or contact with fluid from the nose of a person infected by leprosy. Genetic factors and baseline immune function play a role in how easily a person catches the disease. Leprosy is not spread...

Read on Wikipedia · Image Luis A. Marcos, Stephen Conerly, and Sue Walker, CC BY 4.0