Leprosy is a long-term infection caused by the bacilli Mycobacterium leprae and Mycobacterium lepromatosis. Initially, infections are without symptoms and typically remain this way for 5 to 20 years. Symptoms that develop include granulomas of the nerves, respiratory tract, skin, and eyes. This may result in a lack of ability to feel pain and thus loss of parts of extremities due to repeated injuries or infection due to unnoticed wounds. Weakness and poor eyesight may also be present. Leprosy is spread between people. This is believed to occur through a cough or contact with fluid from the nose of an infected person. The two main types of disease are based on the number of bacteria present: paucibacillary and multibacillary. The two types are differentiated by the number of poorly pigmented, numb skin patches present, with paucibacillary having five or fewer and multibacillary having more than five. The diagnosis is confirmed by finding acid-fast bacilli in a biopsy of the skin or by detecting the DNA using polymerase chain reaction. Leprosy is curable with a treatment known as multidrug therapy. Treatment for paucibacillary leprosy is with the medications dapsone and rifampicin for six months. Treatment for multibacillary leprosy consists of rifampicin, dapsone, and clofazimine for 12 months. A number of other antibiotics may also be used. These treatments are provided free of charge by the World Health Organization.
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https://doaj.org/article/03fda65f7c684a658e8b3c5658b5e8bd directory of open access journals. leprosy nephropathy: a review of clinical and histopathological features by geraldobezerra da silva junior et al. revista do instituto de medicina tropical de são paulo. 2015;57(1)15-20 doi 10.1590/s0036-46652015000100002
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https://doaj.org/article/1629052beb8842fa84e463bfeed8b6b0 directory of open access journals. leprosy serology using pgl-i: a systematic review leprosy serology using pgl-i: a systematic review by rodrigo de mourascaliante etal.journal of the brazilian society of tropical medicine . 2008; 4111-18 doi 10.1590 / s0037-86822008000700004
https://doaj.org/article/56630e47264a45ffb83fcb647ba36251 directory of open access journals. diffusion tensor imaging tractography in pure neuritic leprosy: first experience report and review of the literature by michele r. colonna et al. case reports in neurological medicine. 2016;2016 doi 10.1155/2016/2767856
https://doaj.org/article/826db9ee18f84a83bfd6cfaa80c98a34 directory of open access journals. analysis of antigens of mycobacterium leprae by interaction to sera igg, igm, and iga response to improve diagnosis of leprosy by avnish kumar et al. biomed research international. 2014;2014 doi 10.1155/2014/283278
https://doaj.org/article/e998e63ce2b840b2892bcf70f13361d0 directory of open access journals. leprosy exposure, infection and disease: a 25-year surveillance study of leprosy patient contacts by euzenirnunessarno et al. memórias do instituto oswaldo cruz.. 2012;107(8)1054-1059 doi 10.1590/s0074-02762012000800015