Treatments

A historical treatment which people believed was a cure for leprosy in India was, chaulmoogra oil (a toxic acid) which only promises a 45 percent recovery .There was no known cure for leprosy until antibiotics were introduced as the main form of treatment for leprosy which is also known as a Multi Drug Treatment or MDT. There are three main antibiotics that are used to kill the Mycobacterium leprae: Dapsone, Rifampin and Clofazimine. Sometimes the bacteria can become resistant to a single antibiotic and so the patients are usually given a combination of the three. Patients are given the MDT for 6 months up to two years depending on factors such as: how long they have been diagnosed with the bacteria and the severity of their condition. The two types of MDT are:  Pauci-bacillary (PB) leprosy: 1-5 skin lesions (skin lesions include rashes and scars) – Rifampicin and Dapsone for 6 months, b) Multi-bacillary (MB) leprosy:  more than 5 skin lesions – Rifampicin, Clofazimine and Dapsone for 12 months. After two weeks of the treatment most people become less infectious, meaning, the chances that they will pass the bacteria on to another person will decrease. If the patient continues to take the treatment on a daily basis the bacteria will be weakened and eventually “destroyed”. The best results can only be achieved through early treatment because later on certain complications and symptoms such as nerve damage and disfigurement become irreversible.

Here are also some side effects that may come with the use of MDT treatment:

• Red discoloration of the urine, sweat, sputum, and tears
• Lack of coordination, headaches, dizziness, difficulty concentrating, confusion
• Diarrhea, gas, stomach cramps, painful or irregular menstrual periods

Fatal side effects:

• Swelling of the eyes, face, lips, throat, arms, hands, feet, lower legs, ankles
• Nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite
• Rash, hives, blisters
• Dark urine
• This treatment has also been made available for the less fortunate people in places such as India and Africa by the World Health Organization.