How to Diagnose Leprosy

Leprosy, also known as Hansen's disease, is an infection caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium leprae. It can affect the nerves and skin in the extremities and the lining of the nose. It typically is contracted through prolonged contact with an infected person. However, only 5 percent of the people who are exposed ever develop leprosy. The following steps will show how to diagnose a case of leprosy.

Instructions

• 1

  Expect leprosy to develop very slowly. Symptoms usually do not appear for at least one year after infection with 5 to 7 years being the average.

• 2

  Observe initial symptoms of a characteristic rash with bumps. Leprosy also may cause numbness in the skin and weakness in the muscles because of the infection of these areas. Leprosy is classified in the following types based on the number and type of skin spots: borderline, lepromatous and tuberculoid.

• 3

  See a rash consisting of a few flat, white areas to identify tuberculoid leprosy. Lepromatous leprosy is characterized by small bumps or raised rashes of varying size and shape. Borderline leprosy shares characteristics of the other two types.

• 4

  Notice the most severe symptoms of leprosy. This is a deterioration of the sense of touch in the extremities and may eventually lead to the loss of fingers and toes due the inability to feel injuries.

• 5

  Confirm a diagnosis of leprosy by microscopic examination of infected skin tissue. Cultures and blood tests are not helpful because Mycobacterium does not grow in the laboratory.