Leprosy Has All but Been Term Paper

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Peripheral nerve damage can cause deficits in motor coordination, although this damage is often painless for the patient.

Eye Involvement: Blindness occurs in 2.8% of all patients affected by leprosy. "Eye damage results from both nerve damage and direct bacillary invasion" (p. 1213).

Systemic Involvement: Other systems that are impacted by leprosy include: nasal passages, bones, testes and kidneys. Leprosy results increases of testosterone in the body. This can lead to both testicular atrophy and kidney dysfunction.

Diagnosis

Diagnosis of leprosy can be a significant challenge for medical professionals. What is perhaps most challenging about leprosy is that contraction of the bacteria will not always result in the development of the disease. As reported by Jacobson and Krahenbuhl (1999) when the Mycobacterium leprae bacterium is transmitted, the body is often able to mount a natural immune response that will prevent systemic infection. In many instances, this response is successful, resulting in no long-term health implications for the affected individual. However, in some instances, the body's natural defenses will fail. However, when this occurs it may take several years for the bacteria to build up enough potency to manifest. Further, the initial manifestation of leprosy may be a single lesion that heals. Thus, for medical professionals, diagnosis of leprosy in the early stages can be a notable challenge. Further, once a diagnosis has been made, it can be difficult, if not impossible, to trace the origins of the bacteria. This is due to the fact that leprosy can take several years to manifest. As such, developing effective preventive public health interventions to stop the spread of the diseases remains a notable challenge (Jacobson & Krahenbuhl, 1999).

Treatment review of the literature with regard to the treatment of leprosy indicates that with aggressive treatment, leprosy can be cured.

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Further, research indicates that with early intervention, the disease can be cured before disability occurs. Unfortunately, once significant nerve damage has occurred as a result of the disease, this damage cannot be repaired. Among the most effective treatments for leprosy is MDT or multidrug therapy. Research on the development of MDT indicates that the three drugs used for MDT treatment have been developed over the course of the twentieth century. Dapsone was first developed in 1940 however, resistance to the drug prompted further research which produced Rifampicin and clofazimine in the 1960s. In 1981, the WHO discovered that treatment with a combination of these three drugs provided the most effective means to eliminate the disease (WHO, 2005, Leprosy). A critical review of the research clearly suggests that MDT is the gold standard for the treatment of leprosy providing a complete cure for the patient within 6 to 12 months.

Conclusion

Synthesizing all of the data provided in this investigation, it becomes evident that while leprosy represents a treatable and curable health condition, eradicating the disease remains a notable challenge for public health officials. Because the incubation time for the bacteria can be several years, preventing the further spread of leprosy is a notable challenge. Further, because most cases of leprosy occur in developing nations, access to multidrug therapy may be markedly limited. Individuals affected with this condition may not have access to healthcare services that would allow for early detection and treatment of the condition. Thus, while the WTO continues to work toward eradication of the disease by 2010, the organization will face considerable challenges in achieving this goal......

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