What type of organism causes leprosy

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Humans typically get Q fever…. Health Conditions Discover Plan Connect. Type 2 Diabetes. 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. Leprosy does not cause flesh to rot or fingers and toes to drop off. In the past, limbs that have been damaged because the person cannot feel pain have sometimes had to be amputated. Now that the disease can be detected early, the need to amputate is rare.

How leprosy is transmitted It is not known how leprosy is transmitted. It is thought likely that leprosy is spread from person to person in respiratory droplets droplets expelled from the nose and mouth, for example when an infected person coughs or sneezes.

In cases of leprosy in children under one year of age, it is thought possible that the infection may have been transmitted from the mother via the placenta. Leprosy is not highly infectious. People at risk are generally in close and frequent contact with leprosy patients or living in countries where the disease is more common. The incubation period is thought to range from nine months to over 20 years.

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. Now, with the use of antibiotics and with other medicines, the disease is curable. Once a person with leprosy begins appropriate treatment, they quickly become non-infectious.

There is no vaccine generally available to specifically prevent leprosy. However, the vaccine against tuberculosis TB , called the BCG vaccine, may provide some protection against leprosy. Lepromatous leprosy is more severe and generalized. It is also more contagious. This type of leprosy may affect organs such as the kidneys, testicles in men , eyes, and nose. Leprosy is not very contagious. Most cases of leprosy are from repeated and long-term contact with someone who has the disease.

Doctors believe that leprosy might be passed from person to person. This happens by breathing in droplets that get into the air when infected people cough or sneeze. Most people who come in contact with M.

However, people whose immune systems are weakened from chronic disease such as diabetes , HIV , AIDS , or heart disease may be more likely to develop leprosy. This is because their immune systems are not strong enough to fight the bacteria. Your doctor will ask you questions about your medical history and the symptoms you are experiencing. They will probably want to remove a tiny piece of the affected skin called a biopsy to check for the M.

Even though the risk of catching leprosy is very low, you can still reduce your risk. The best way to prevent leprosy is to avoid contact with body fluids and the rashes of people who have leprosy. Leprosy is treated with antibiotics. Antibiotics can kill all the M. This is why early treatment is important. You may need to take antibiotics for 6 months or longer, depending on the severity of your infection.

Variations in immune system-related genes also affect the likelihood of developing episodes of reaction. Reactions occur when the immune system generates inflammation in response to dead bacteria that are still in the body. The genes involved in leprosy provide instructions for making proteins that are involved in immune system processes such as recognition of the bacteria, immune system signaling, initiation of inflammation by the innate immune system, and production by the adaptive immune system of immune proteins antibodies specific to Mycobacteria leprae.

The combined effect of the gene variations, as well as nongenetic factors that are not well understood, determine the effectiveness of these processes and the individual's vulnerability to leprosy. Leprosy is not inherited, but people can inherit an increased risk of contracting leprosy if they are exposed to the Mycobacterium leprae bacteria.

Susceptibility tends to run in families, but the inheritance pattern is unknown. Genetics Home Reference has merged with MedlinePlus. Learn more. The information on this site should not be used as a substitute for professional medical care or advice. Contact a health care provider if you have questions about your health. From Genetics Home Reference. Description Leprosy, also called Hansen disease, is a disorder known since ancient times.

Frequency About , new cases of leprosy are diagnosed every year. Causes Combinations of many variations in genes involved in the immune system affect a person's likelihood of contracting Mycobacterium leprae infection if exposed to the bacteria. Inheritance Leprosy is not inherited, but people can inherit an increased risk of contracting leprosy if they are exposed to the Mycobacterium leprae bacteria.

Research Studies from ClinicalTrials.