What is leprosy, is there a cure and what are the symptoms and causes? All you need to know
The disease isn't as contagious as once thought, but more than 210,000 new cases are diagnosed every year
LONG stigmatised for being a 'biblical' illness, leprosy sufferers were made to live in colonies and had to wear bells around their necks.
While it's largely considered an antiquated disease, over 210,000 new cases are diagnosed every year, but what are the causes and symptoms of leprosy – and how can you prevent it?
What causes leprosy?
Leprosy is a contagious disease that affects the skin and can cause a lack of ability to feel pain.
It is caused by a slow-multiplying bacteria, mycobacterium leprae, which starts by damaging the small nerves in the skin's surface, causing discoloured patches with little to no feeling.
The disease can then spread, going on to damage the nerves in the elbow, wrist and ankle. It can also cause a loss of sensation to the feet and hands.
What are the symptoms?
As its victims are unable to feel pain, they can often suffer burns, ulcers and other injuries without realising.
The infection can also damage eyelids, making it difficult for those infected to blink while other symptoms include a flattened nose or clawed hand.
It is important to remember that the lesions and loss of limbs is caused by the lack of feeling, not the disease itself.
How is it spread and can you treat it?
While it is not as highly contagious as once thought, the World Health Organisation has reported that the exact way that leprosy is transmitted remains unknown.
Despite the horror stories, the condition can be treated and cured with standard antibiotics and multidrug therapy but the treatments cannot reverse the physical impacts caused.
According to the World Health Organisation, there were about 210,000 new cases of leprosy diagnosed across the globe in 2015.
More than half of the new diagnoses were in India.
Are there any recent cases?
The most recent case of leprosy is an outbreak in a California primary school.
Notes were sent home warning parents that two students “might” be sick with leprosy causing parents to refuse to send their children to Indian Hills Elementary in Jurupa Valley.
In November last year, health experts also warned Brits to stay away from red squirrels, who are believed to be riddled with the disease.