Leprosy a Notifiable Disease : Maharashtra
The Maharashtra government has officially declared leprosy a “notifiable disease.”
- Leprosy is an infectious disease caused by a type of bacteria called Mycobacterium leprae.
- It is also known as Hansen’s disease.
- It primarily affects the skin, peripheral nerves, eyes and other organs.
- It is a neglected tropical disease (NTD) which still occurs in more than 120 countries, with around 200 000 new cases reported every year.
- It was declared notifiable in 2005 uniformly under the National Leprosy Eradication Programme (NLEP), Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
- The disease is transmitted through droplets from the nose and mouth of an untreated case of leprosy, containing the causative agent, following prolonged, close contact.
- The disease does not spread through casual contact (like shaking hands or hugging, sharing meals or sitting next to each other).
- The patient stops transmitting the disease upon initiation of treatment.
- It usually takes about 3 to 5 years for symptoms to appear after you come into contact with the bacteria that cause leprosy.
- The main symptom of leprosy is disfiguring skin sores, lumps, or bumps that don’t go away after several weeks or months.
- In some cases, body parts may lose their sense of touch and pain, increasing the likelihood of injuries such as cuts and burns.
- Leprosy is a curable disease.
- The currently recommended treatment regimen consists of three medicines (dapsone, rifampicin and clofazimine) and is referred to as multi-drug therapy (MDT).
