How do contract leprosy

These problems can only develop when someone has leprosy for a long time. Today, we also know how to reduce the risk of catching it. One way it spreads is from person to person. Scientists have learned that to catch leprosy, a healthy person must have months of close contact with someone who has leprosy. When a healthy person repeatedly breathes in the infected droplets, this may spread the disease. It takes a lot of exposure to catch leprosy. You can also get leprosy from an armadillo.

Lived in a country where leprosy is more common, such as India, Brazil, China, Indonesia, or parts of Africa. The bacteria that cause leprosy reproduce very slowly. You may notice the first signs in three to four years, but it can take 20 years or longer for signs to appear. Without treatment, the bacteria that cause leprosy can continue to reproduce. In time, they can damage nerves and other parts of your body.

If this happens, you may notice one or more of the following:. Eye problems, such as difficulty blinking, which may lead to dry eyes, eye sores, and eventually blindness. While antibiotics can kill the bacteria, they cannot reverse damage caused by the bacteria. Antibiotics cannot reverse the damage done to the body.

If it looks like you may have leprosy, a board-certified dermatologist will ask questions to find out if you have any risk factors. Be sure to tell your dermatologist if you have lived in another country or spent time around armadillos.

Your dermatologist will also examine your skin. Leprosy is transmitted through mucus or secretions from the…. A doctor typically orders a sputum stain to determine if a person has tuberculosis TB or another type of mycobacterial infection. A skin lesion biopsy is a simple medical procedure in which a sample of your skin is removed and tested in a laboratory.

Antibiotics are powerful, life-saving medications used to fight infections caused by bacteria. They decrease or kill the growth of bacteria in your….

Boils are caused by bacteria building up in a hair follicle and pushing up to the surface of the skin. Recurring boils happen for a number of reasons…. Certain E. 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. Mental Health. 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? 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.

If left untreated, leprosy can cause permanent damage to the nerves in the fingers, toes, hands, and feet. Repeated injuries and nerve damage can cause muscle weakness, deformities, and even the loss of fingers and toes. Untreated leprosy can also cause swelling, and skin sores and lesions that are more severe. If leprosy damages the lining of the nose, it can cause frequent nosebleeds and constant stuffiness. If leprosy damages your eyes, it can lead to glaucoma and even blindness.

Lepromatous leprosy can reduce the amount of the male hormone testosterone and sperm counts in men. This can lead to erectile dysfunction and infertility.