Tuberculoid leprosy is a bacterial infection that causes skin lesions and peripheral nerve damage. Antibiotics can cure the disease, and diagnosis is made by examining lesions and taking fluid for a smear. Leprosy is contracted through exposure to nasal secretions, but most patients can live normal lives after treatment.
Tuberculoid leprosy is a chronic bacterial infection that occurs worldwide. This infectious disease is caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium leprae. The bacteria cause lesions to appear on the skin, mucous membranes or testicles. The eyes can also be affected as well as peripheral nerves, such as the hands and feet. Antibiotics are effective against the bacteria responsible and this type of leprosy can be cured with the proper treatment.
There are two types of leprosy: tuberculoid and lepromatous. Tuberculoid leprosy is characterized by the presence of very few lesions and minimal bacteria. Lepromatous leprosy can be a widespread infection involving many lesions containing large amounts of bacteria. Borderline leprosy is not a type of leprosy but is a class between the two types of leprosy. Patients with borderline leprosy have more lesions than those classified as tuberculoid but fewer than the more severe lepromatous leprosy.
The most characteristic symptom of leprosy is hairless skin lesions that are usually numb to touch. They may be flat or slightly raised and are usually a darker color than the surrounding skin. To be classified as tuberculoid leprosy, fewer than five lesions must be present. If there are five or more lesions, leprosy is classified as borderline or lepromatous. A secondary symptom, peripheral nerve involvement, causes progressive numbness of the hands, feet, and sometimes the face.
Clinical presentation is the main diagnostic criterion in the determination of tuberculoid leprosy. Doctors examine the patient for lesions, noting the size, color, and number of lesions present. Peripheral nerve areas are checked for weakness or numbness. A definitive diagnosis is then made by puncturing the lesion and taking fluid for a smear. The fluid of tuberculoid lesions, unlike lepromatous lesions, does not contain the bacteria Mycobacterium leprae.
If left untreated, tuberculoid leprosy can resolve itself or progress to a more severe form. A long-term infection can cause permanent damage and disfigurement. Standard treatment is a six-month course of rifampin and dapsone. If only a single lesion is present, the patient is treated with a single combined dose of rifampin, ofloxacin, and minocycline. Patients are considered noninfectious soon after initiation of antibiotic treatment.
Leprosy is contracted through exposure to nasal secretions from infected people. Before the discovery of antibiotics, infected people were often kept in leper isolation. Some leper colonies still exist, particularly in areas where treatment is not readily available, but most leprosy patients can live normal lives after being treated with antibiotics.
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