1 / 17

Leprosy (Hansen’s Disease)

Leprosy (Hansen’s Disease). Nathan Bahn Day 6 Period 11. What is Leprosy?. Leprosy is a chronic bacterial disease ( Mycobacterium leprae ) of the skin and nerves. It causes infectious skin imperfections such as hypopigmented skin, thick spots, lesions, and other plagues of the skin.

loe
Download Presentation

Leprosy (Hansen’s Disease)

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Leprosy (Hansen’s Disease) Nathan Bahn Day 6 Period 11

  2. What is Leprosy? • Leprosy is a chronic bacterial disease (Mycobacterium leprae) of the skin and nerves. It causes infectious skin imperfections such as hypopigmented skin, thick spots, lesions, and other plagues of the skin.

  3. Who does it affect? • Anyone can get leprosy, but children tend to be more susceptible than adults. People living in less developed countries are also at a higher risk for this disease.

  4. Transmission of Leprosy • The mode of transmission for leprosy has not been proven, but scientists believe that the disease is mostly transmitted through respiratory droplets, such as coughing and sneezing.

  5. Curability • Leprosy is curable when access to a specialized medical professional is available. To cure leprosy, multiple drugs are used. The treatment can last from 6 months- 2 years.

  6. Prevention • The best way to prevent leprosy is to stay away from those infected with the disease, at least during the earlier stages when it is contagious.

  7. Treatment • Treatment of leprosy takes a long time because the symptoms usually take a few years to surface. • Multiple antibiotics used to kill the bacteria while aspirin, prednisone, or thalidomide are used to help control inflammation.

  8. Types and Symptoms • Tuberculoid Leprosy: Produces sores on the skin and causes nerve damage in the arms and legs. This damage causes muscle weakness and loss of feeling in these limbs, which can become permanent in long-term leprosy sufferers. • Lepromatous Leprosy: Same as Tuberculoid except the sores are larger and more painful.

  9. Prescence • Leprosy is common in many countries and in many different climates. • There about 100 cases per year in the U.S., mainly in California, Hawaii, and U.S. island territories.

  10. Specialized Doctors? • There are no special doctors for leprosy patients, normal doctors can provide enough care to treat patients.

  11. Think you’re a leper? • Have an immediate checkup and then semi-annual checkups afterwards to monitor for symptoms. If symptoms develop go to your doctor and he will provide you with care.

  12. Think you could be at risk because of travel or otherwise? • Watch out for the signs that a person might have the disease, like multiple sores or disfiguring bumps. • Wash hands regularly and disinfect unclean objects.

  13. What are the symptoms of leprosy? • A. Miniature elephants flying around your head at all times. • B. Random outbursts of singing one-hit wonders from the 60’s, 70’s, and 80’s. • C. Loss of feeling • D. Sores and disfigurements of the skin • E. C and D

  14. What causes leprosy? • A. Reading Dr. Seuss books while wearing a snorkel • B. Communism • C. A bacteria, Mycobacterium leprae • D. eating brownies at exactly 4:17 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.

  15. How is leprosy treated? • A. It cannot be treated, you are stuck with it for life • B. Repeated baths in a blend of orange juice and llama milk • C. Listening to four hours of nonstop smooth jazz and bluegrass music at the same time. The combination has healing effects. • D. Multiple drugs are used, such as antibiotics and anti-inflammatory medication.

  16. Video? • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U74s8nFE7No

  17. Bibliography • http://www.cdc.gov/nczved/divisions/dfbmd/diseases/hansens_disease/technical.html/ • http://www.health.state.ny.us/diseases/communicable/leprosy/fact_sheet.htm • http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/001347.htm • http://www.who.int/lep/en/ • http://www.hpa.org.uk/HPA/Topics/InfectiousDiseases/InfectionsAZ/1191942128221/

More Related