Leprosy

Leprosy is a skin disease where there are lumps, spots and hypo chromic plate with raised edges. It is a disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae that affects skin and nerves, except the central nervous system.

To be affected by Leprosy and acquire necessary to live with these dermatosis patients for many months or even years, and especially not be liable for any person is prone to developing this disease, the gateway to the human organism of this bacillus Mycobacterium leprae is by skin contact or mucous membranes.

Taking into account various studies and clinical features of leprosy is classified as:

Lepromatous leprosy: 2 types

1 .- Nodular: appears on the face, trunk and limbs, respecting palms, soles, scalp and penis, the lesions are nodules ranging from 2 to 3 mm to 2 or 3 cm and are the color of the skin. This type affects the whole body minus the central nervous system, being the most frequent variety, infective, and the skin test to lepromin (Mitsuda) is negative and the patient’s immune system is badly damaged.

2. Diffuse: This affects all the skin and the patient has smooth skin, bright. Here is a complete infiltration of the bacillus in the integument, having only drooping eyebrows, telangiectasias on the face and skin atrophy after acute period of the dermatosis.

Tuberculoid leprosy: It affects only the skin and peripheral nerves: the lesions appear on the face, limbs and buttocks, which may have plates from 1 to 20 cm. With defined edges and embossed, oval, circular plates resemble ringworm, but unlike the jock itch presented here is loss of sensitivity. His injuries are not inhabited by the bacillus is therefore infecting the skin test of the lepromin is positive, and in some patients spontaneous involution because there immune system is in good condition.

Indeterminate leprosy: So much has been the onset of the disease, lesions appear on the cheeks, neck, trunk and buttocks, where there hypochromic spots ranging from 1 to 10 cm. With indefinite borders and the patient reported loss of sensation, sweating and hair. Only slightly affects the skin and peripheral nerve injuries are uninhabited and therefore is not infecting the skin test may be positive in enabling us to predict whether developed tuberculoid leprosy, or negative if developed in Nodular lepromatous type.

Borderline leprosy: This variety is described lesions in lepromatous leprosy (nodules), and injuries described in tuberculoid leprosy (flat plate with raised edges), according to the patient’s immune status can become lepromatous or tuberculoid leprosy this variety of Borderline is considered only a stage in the disease.

To diagnose the disease usually resorts to smear tests, to perform the test of Leprominoreaccion, and biopsy.

For the treatment is used diaminodiphenyl sulfone, Clofazimine and Rifampicin.

For treatment of 4 varieties are divided into

Multibacillary: Borderline lepromatous leprosy and leprosy for which diaminodiphenyl Sulfone prescribed 100mg daily for 2 years minimum, Rifampicin 600mg every month for 2 years, and Clofazimine 50mg a day for 2 years.

Paucibacillary: Leprosy tuberculoid and indeterminate leprosy diaminodiphenyl Sulfone 100mg and rifampin 600 mg once monthly for 6 months.