Contents:
- Medical Video: IF YOU SEE A CHILD SITTING IN THIS POSITION, STOP HIM BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE!
- Overview of leprosy
- Types of leprosy defects that need to be watched out
- Primary defect
- Secondary defects
- The severity of leprosy defects
- Level 0
- Level 1
- Level 2
- Can leprosy defects be prevented?
Medical Video: IF YOU SEE A CHILD SITTING IN THIS POSITION, STOP HIM BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE!
Leprosy defects occur due to interference with nerve function in the eyes, hands, or feet. Disorders that occur can be mild to severe. Generally severe leprosy defects occur due to acute damage to nerve function that can affect other organs. What do you need to do to prevent leprosy infection from causing permanent disability? Here's the review.
Overview of leprosy
Leprosy is a chronic infection caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium leprae which causes skin injuries to nerve and muscle damage. Damage to the skin nerves due to leprosy infection will result in you not being able to experience touch sensations, temperature, and pain.
The main symptoms of leprosy include:
- Weak muscles.
- Numbness in the eyes, hands and feet.
- Spots like skin fungus (the color is brighter than the surrounding skin).
Usually the incubation period of this disease is quite long. The initial symptoms of leprosy can appear about 3 to 5 years from exposure to the first infection. Some people don't even experience any symptoms until 20 years later. Therefore, it is very difficult for doctors to determine when and where people affected by leprosy are infected.
Types of leprosy defects that need to be watched out
Based on the National Guidelines for Leprosy Control Program issued by the National Ministry of Health, disabilities due to leprosy are divided into primary and secondary disabilities.
Primary defect
Primary defect is a type of leprosy defect caused directly by infection with M. leprae in the body. For example, numbness,claw hand (hands and fingers bent), and dry skin.
In primary defects, skin spots similar to phlegm will usually continue to grow in a relatively short time. Leprosy spots also become inflamed and swell. This condition is often accompanied by symptoms of fever. People who have leprosy also usually experience muscle weakness and numbness (numbness) in the last six months since exposure to the initial infection.
In addition, ulcers due to leprosy can sometimes rupture and develop into ulcers. If you experience the symptoms above, immediately visit a doctor to get the best treatment to prevent the severity of symptoms and conditions.
Secondary defects
Secondary defects are the development of primary defects, especially those caused by nerve damage. For example ulcer ulcers (open sores on the skin, aka ulcers), and limited joint motion as a result of functional damage to the joints and soft tissues around the affected area.
Disability of leprosy at this stage occurs through two processes, namely:
- The direct flow of M. leprae bacteria to the peripheral nervous system and certain organs.
- Through the reaction of leprosy.
If the bacteria has entered the nerve, nerve function will decrease and even disappear. In general, nerves function as sensory, motor, and autonomic. Abnormalities that occur due to leprosy can cause interference with each nerve or a combination of the three.
- Sensory nerve disorders. Sensory function nerves are responsible for giving sensations of feeling, feeling pain, and feeling the temperature. Disorders of the sensory nerves can cause the hands and feet to numb and the blink reflex decreases.
- Motor nerve disorders. Motor nerves function to provide strength to the muscles. Disorders or abnormalities in the motor nerve can be paralysis of the hands and feet, fingers and toes bent, and eyes cannot blink. If an infection occurs in the eyes, it can lead to blindness.
- Autonomic nerve disorders. Autonomic nerves are responsible for sweat glands and oil in the body. Disorders of this part of the nerve result in dryness and cracking of the skin due to damage to the oil glands and blood flow.
The severity of leprosy defects
Apart from being distinguished from its type, leprosy defects can also be distinguished from the severity of the defects that occur. Each organ affected by leprosy infection (eyes, hands and feet) is given a distinctive defect rate.
The rate of disability of leprosy according to the world health organization (WHO), namely
Level 0
At this level organs such as the eyes, hands and feet do not experience any abnormalities.
Level 1
This level is marked by damage to the cornea of the eye. Apart from that there is impaired visual acuity but not in the severe stages. Usually patients can still see something from a distance of 6 meters. In addition there is muscle weakness and numbness in the hands and feet.
Level 2
At level 2, the eyelids cannot close perfectly. Not only that, vision is very disturbed because usually patients with this level are no longer able to see anything from a distance of 6 meters and the rest. Then hand and foot defects also occur such as open wounds and permanent bent fingers.
Can leprosy defects be prevented?
The development of leprosy can be prevented by early detection and treatment. That way, tissue damage, the spread of disease, and the risk of complications of leprosy defects can also be overcome.
In addition, regular monitoring of the patient's condition and providing appropriate care also help prevent leprosy defects.
If nerve damage occurs less than 6 months and is treated quickly and precisely, permanent nerve damage can be avoided. However, if a new patient is detected and does treatment after a permanent or secondary disability, then what can be done is to control the patient's health condition so that the disability does not get worse.
The prevention of disability due to leprosy that you can do at home is by doing 3M: checking your eyes, hands and feet; protect eyes, hands and feet; and take care of yourself.
