Leprosy: characteristics, transmission, symptoms, risks and curiosities

The disease leprosy better known as leprosy, it is a chronic, rare and infectious disease that presents high numbers of cases, mainly in Brazil, being the second country with the highest incidence, with this fact it is mandatory the constant investigation of it throughout the national territory, being considered a serious factor of health publishes.

Leprosy: CHARACTERISTICS OF THE DISEASE

Leprosy is a chronic disease and the oldest disease of mankind, it appeared more than 600 years ago BC, it is a rare species, and its first appearance was initially in Asia and spread to Africa, in Brazil the number of cases reaches less than 15 thousand per year. The causative agent of the disease has a little suggestive name, "mycobacteruim Lepral", it is an actinobacterium, of the family mycobacteruim, this agent causes major problems in the human body, reaching very sensitive parts such as the skin and nerves. peripherals.

With the development of the disease it can result in skin spots, these spots are accompanied by whitish or even reddish colors, in addition to affect regions such as the skin and peripheral nerves can affect regions such as the eye and can spread to other parts of the body, such as organs internal.

Leprosy: TRANSMISSION AND SYMPTOMS

As it is a communicable disease, they can be transmitted through droplets that come out of the nose, that is, in the airways, and even through saliva, the bacteria can remain in the body for up to 7 years, that's right, 7 years, because the organism cannot immediately detect the virus in our body, with this the symptoms appear later, it affects both sexes and all ranges age groups.

Symptoms can be diverse, such as:

• We know that one of the main symptoms of the disease is reddish spots, these spots can arise from different sizes, with no growth limit on the affected skin, these spots can appear anywhere of the body
• It can cause a state of numbness in some parts of the body, this is due to the fact that the disease compromises the nerves
• Loss of sensation in some cases is very constant and even serious, as it can lead to injury or even loss of a member of the body, especially the fingers.
• Hands can undergo changes in their bone structure, called "claw hands"
• Some parts of the body can curb hair growth and sweat production, especially in areas affected by blemishes, causing moisture loss.
• In some cases, lumps may appear, such as in the ear, neck, hands, elbows, and may also cause swelling and fever.

DOES THE DISEASE HAVE A CURE? WHAT TYPES OF TREATMENT

If the disease is discovered in an early period, there may be great possibilities of cure, if it is late discovery or even inadequate treatment can cause physical limitations. bass.

The treatment involves the monitoring of a dermatologist to assess the skin blemishes and also has a multi-professional team:

• Sensitivity tests, assessment of the motor part, and investigation of the appearance of nodules throughout the body are carried out.
• After diagnosis, treatment is performed through Polychemotherapy (QMT),
• And drugs indicated to fight the disease effectively, according to the patient's age and weight
• It is important to note that pregnant or breastfeeding women do not prevent the treatment of the disease

PERSONAL RISKS

Unfortunately, people who are affected by the disease suffer great stigma and prejudice, as the disease causes neural damage, which can even lead to social exclusions by a a certain group of people, with this effect, individuals affected by the disease feel different, excluded and may even go into a depressive state and feel ashamed of their own physicist.

With this factor, the term "Leprosy" is extremely prohibited to be used as a term, the correct name is Hansen's disease, this termology was introduced and made effective in 1976, by the Ministry of Health, people affected by the disease receive psychological treatment, which guides them in overcoming the barriers and difficulties encountered throughout the disease.

 With these aggravating factors, it is nice to remember that the disease is curable, the sooner it is diagnosed and the treatment is started, it will be possible to fight it, on January 27th, is the World Day Against Leprosy, established by law 12,135 of 2009.

CURIOSITIES

• In addition to being known as Maycobacterium Lepral, it may also be known as Hansen's bacillus, Hansen was a scientist who discovered the disease.

• Many Scientists, given their research, have not gone deep enough to discover the reason why our immune system cannot capture the bacteria causing the disease, in some scientific fields, advances were made in the study of it, discovering that the Maycobacterium bacterium acts in a kind of “masquerade ball”, with that the bacterium disguises itself, and infected human body cells act as if the virus were something natural to the body, the immune system does not understand the risk and ends up acting wrongly, getting compromised.

THE leprosy it is a curable disease, and early and careful diagnosis is extremely necessary. Unfortunately, it can be considered an epidemiological disease, as many people live in poorly hygienic environments and even in aggravating economic and social conditions, the The most affected regions are: Midwest, North and Northeast, the population residing in this area in most cases does not have access to the basic health unit, further aggravating the disease. Thus, it is extremely important to enable the human gaze and create coherent and continuous strategies so that these people have access and can treat this disease and others.

See too:

• pancreas
• Rubella
• porifers
• bone tissue