Leprosy (cont.)
What causes leprosy?
Leprosy is caused by Mycobacterium leprae, a rod-shaped bacillus that is an
obligate intracellular (only grows inside of certain human and animal cells)
bacterium. M. leprae is termed an "acid fast" bacterium because of its chemical
characteristics. When special stains are used for microscopic analysis, it
stains red on a blue background due to mycolic acid content in its cell walls.
The Ziel-Nielsen stain is an example of the special staining techniques used to
view the acid-fast organisms under the microscope.
Currently, the organisms cannot be cultured on artificial media. The bacteria
take an extremely long time to reproduce inside of cells (about 12-14 days as
compared to minutes to hours for most bacteria). The bacteria grow best at
80.9 F-86 F, so cooler areas of the body tend to develop the infection. The bacteria
grow very well in the body's macrophages and Schwann cells (cells that cover and
protect nerve axons). M. leprae is genetically related to M. tuberculosis (the
type of bacteria that cause tuberculosis) and other mycobacteria that infect
humans. As with malaria, patients with leprosy produce anti-endothelial
antibodies (antibodies against the lining tissues of blood vessels), but the
role of these antibodies in these diseases is still under investigation.
What are the symptoms and signs of leprosy?
Unfortunately, the early signs and symptoms of leprosy are very subtle and occur
slowly (usually over years). Numbness and loss of temperature sensation (cannot
sense very hot or cold temperatures) are some of the first symptoms that
patients experience. As the disease progresses, the sensation of touch, then
pain, and eventually deep pressure are decreased or lost. Signs that occur, such
as relatively painless ulcers, skin lesions of hypopigmented macules (flat, pale
areas of skin), and eye damage (dryness, reduced blinking) are experienced
before the large ulcerations, loss of digits, and facial disfigurement develop.
This long-time developing sequence of events begins and continues on the cooler
areas of the body (for example, hands, feet, face, and knees).
Next: Are there different forms (classifications) of leprosy? »
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