LEPROSY

HANSEN’S DISEASE
Is a chronic mildly communicable
disease that mainly affects the
skin, the peripheral nerves, the
eyes and the mucosa of the upper
respiratory tract
disease caused by the bacteria
Mycobacterium leprae
 Incubation Period
When a person becomes infected with the
bacteria that cause the disease, the bacteria
begin to multiply within the body. After three to
five years, symptoms can begin.
 SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS
A. EARLY SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS
• Change in skin color- either reddish or white
• Loss of sensation on the skin lesion
• Decreased/ loss of sweating and hair growth over the
lesion
• Thickened and painful nerves
• Muscle weakness or paralysis of extremities
• Pain and redness of the eyes
• Nasal obstruction or bleeding
• Ulcers that do not heal
B. LATE SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS
• Loss of eyebrow – madarosis
• Inability to close eyelids- lagophtalmos
• Clawing of fingers and toes
• Contractures
• Sinking of the nose bridge
• Enlargement of the breast in males or
gynecomastia
• Chronic ulcers
 Causative agent:

Mycobacterium leprae
-It is an intracellular, acid-fast bacterium

-an aerobic, rod-shaped (bacillus) surrounded by

the characteristic waxy coating unique
tomycobacteria.
 Slit Skin Smear (SSS)
• It is done when the diagnosis is doubtful
• The main objective is to prevent
misclassification and wrong treatment
 Management/ treatment:
• Ambulatory chemotherapy through use of
Multi- drug therapy
• Domiciliary treatment as embodied in R.A
4073 which advocates home treatment
 Multi-drug therapy:
• Is the use of 2 or more drugs for the
treatment of leprosy. It is proven effective
cure for leprosy and renders patientss
non- infectious a week after treatment.
• MDT makes home treatment of leprosy
patients possible
 WHO classification of Leprosy
which in the basis of Multi- drug
Therapy
A. Paucibacillary
(tuberculoid and intermediate)
-Non- infectious type
-Duration of treatment 6-9 months
B. Multibacillary (lepramatous and
borderline)

• Infectious types
• Duration of treatment is 24- 30
months
 For paucibacillary leprosy cases:
shall be treated with PB regimen as
follows:
Drugs/ Adult Child(10-14
duration years)
Rifampicin 600mg once a 450mg once a
month month
Dapsone 100mg daily 50mg daily

Duration of 6 blister packs 6 blister packs

treatment to be taken to be taken
monthly monthly
 For multi-bacillary leprosy cases:
shall be treated with PB regimen as
follows
Drugs/ Adult Child(10-14
duration years)
Rifampicin 600mg once a 450mg once
month a month
Clofazimine 300mg once a 150mg once
month and 50mg a month and
daily 50mg every
other day
Dapsone 100mg daily 50mg daily
Duration of 12 blister 12 blister
treatment packs to be packs to be
taken monthly taken monthly
 Public health nursing
responsibilities
• Health education to patients, families and
the community on the nature of the
disease, symptomatology, and its
transmission.
• Advocate healthful living through proper
nutrition, adequate rest, sleep and good
personal hygiene.
• BCG vaccination especially of infants and
children
 PREVENTION:
• Avoidance of prolonged skin-to skin
contact specially with a lepramatous case
• Children must avoid close contact with
active, untreated leprosy case
• BCG vaccination
• Good personal hygiene
• Adequate nutrition
• Health eduction
 Management and treatment
Rehabilitation
-To help him/ her attain this, the nurse:
• Helps create a congenial atmosphere
essential to progressive recovery
• Must e kind and maintain attitude of
professional concern and interest
• Encourage patient’s participation in
occupational activities suited to his
interest, experience and capacity
• Refers patient to other persons/ agencies
who can help in his/ her physical, mental
and social rehabilitation
 Promotes family health by:
• Providing information to the patient and
his/her family on family planning and
nutrition
• Encouraging utilization of available family
planning and nutrition service
• Providing counseling and guidance aimed
at improving health of every member of
the family
 For community health:
• Participates assemblies and shares
information on leprosy and its
management
• Participates in seminars/ workshops/
consultative meeting of other GO’s and
NGO’s on leprosy control
• Participates in tri-media dissemination of
leprosy
Training, Supervision, and Research:

• Conducts orientation of student nurses,

midwives and other students on leprosy
and control program
• Participates in orientation of new
RHU/BHS staff on leprosy and its control
• Participates in studies on leprosy and its
mnagement