Leprosy Symptoms and Affected Body Parts
It can take five to twenty years for the symptoms of leprosy to show after being infected. This is because M.lepre has a very slow incubation time. The living bacilli is actually quite harmless the real damage is done by the body’s strong reaction to the dead bacilli, particularly the lymphatic systems violent fighting to rid the body of the dead bacilli antigen. Because M.lepre is attracted to the peripheral nerves, where they come close to the skin, there is a great accumulation of lymphocytes at the affected nerve. This build-up of defense cells do damage by restricting blood flow in the blood vessels that supply the nerves with oxygen.
Where sensory nerves are starved of oxygen the nerve ending is destroyed and anesthesia is the result. Insensitive fingers and toes are more prone to cuts, burns, etc… where the motor nerves are starved of oxygen, various muscles become inoperative, and these result in difference types of paralysis, such as dropped foot, clawed hand, dropped wrist or lagophalmos.
Those treated early enough will not have permanent damage to their nerves. But if left untreated the conditions described above will become a reality. If patches of pale skin or nodules on the skin appear it is advised you see a doctor as soon as possible.
Where sensory nerves are starved of oxygen the nerve ending is destroyed and anesthesia is the result. Insensitive fingers and toes are more prone to cuts, burns, etc… where the motor nerves are starved of oxygen, various muscles become inoperative, and these result in difference types of paralysis, such as dropped foot, clawed hand, dropped wrist or lagophalmos.
Those treated early enough will not have permanent damage to their nerves. But if left untreated the conditions described above will become a reality. If patches of pale skin or nodules on the skin appear it is advised you see a doctor as soon as possible.