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Medindia » Consumer Health » Health Information » Leprosy - Classification

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Leprosy

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Leprosy
Classification of Leprosy and the clinical symptoms

Text

Leprosy is classified into several types based on the bacterial load present in the lesions, the extent of skin and nerve involvement and based on the presence of deformities. Several types of classification like Madrid classification, Ridley & Jopling classification Indian Classification, WHO classification , Field Worker's Classification etc.

Based on the 2 commonly used classifications, leprosy is classified into six types based on the clinical features (Ridley & Jopling classification):
The type of the disease is a reflection of the immune status of the host.

The first sign of the disease is the feeling of numbness or loss of sensation for temperature (heat) followed by touch and pain which usually begins at the extremities. The skin lesions appear later during the course of the disease.

Disease	Clinical features
Indeterminate leprosy	They are the first type of skin lesions characterized by hypo-pigmented spots. The lesions undergo healing spontaneously

Disease	Clinical features
Paucibacillary (tuberculoid leprosy)	A large red patch with well-defined raised borders or a large hypo pigmented asymmetrical lesion. Lesion is dry and hairless Infectivity is minimal at this stage Loss of sensation is seen Nerves become thick followed by loss of function It either progresses to the borderline stage or spontaneously get cured
Borderline tuberculoid leprosy	Characterized by small and numerous skin lesions The disease goes back to the tuberculoid stage or progresses to the next stage
Borderline borderline leprosy	Several small, irregular red lesions are seen Moderate sensory loss is seen It either goes back to the previous stage or progresses to the next
Borderline lepromatous leprosy	Several lesions such as plaques, macules, papules, and nodules are seen. Lesions have a characteristic inverted saucer like appearance.

Disease

Clinical features

Multibacillary Hansen’s disease (lepromatous leprosy)

Early symptoms: Several lesions such as plaques, macules, papules, and nodules are seen. Nasal congestion, discharge and bleeding is seen Inflammation of the leg and ankles Progressive symptoms: Thickening of the dermis (skin) in the forehead and ear lobes Loss of eyebrows and eyelashes Eye defects such as glaucoma and blindness are seen Nodules in the legs break and form ulcers Enlargement of the breast and sterility occurs in the males Internal infection results in the enlargement of the liver and lymph nodes Loss of sensation in the peripheral nerves. Deformation of the fingers and toes results due to painless repeated trauma.

The Indian classification has an additional type, the neuritic type, which is bacteriologically negative and shows neural involvement without any skin lesions.

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Leprosy - Causes

Leprosy - Co-existing factors

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If you have a question about health related issues, you can now post it in our Ask An Expert section on our community website Medwonders.com and get answers from our panel of experts.

Posted by: gayani(Guest) Posted on: 06/09/2010

Is it dangerous in any way to make a patient who is undergoing treatment take up writing exercises as physiotherapy to get the fingers working again?The fingers are clawed in the right hand and the patient has been asked o come in for physiotherapy sessions as well

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Posted by: innocent14 Posted on: 03/17/2010

Thanks a lot for providing qualitative & updated news about leprosy.Really this website has enhanced my leprosy knowledge.

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Posted by: dearmehraj(Guest) Posted on: 09/07/2009

i am a medical student requires a detail study of leprosy for seminar & i found your website very informative. Thank you, best regards.

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Posted by: dearmehraj(Guest) Posted on: 09/07/2009

M a medical student requires a detail study of leprosy for seminar & i found your website very informative.Thank you,best regards.

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Posted by: guest Posted on: 05/07/2009

I'm a physician on speciality study on Dermatovenereology & i found your website very much helpful & updating in my study & i thank you very much & keep it up.

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Posted by: guest Posted on: 06/15/2010

How is your study coming along? Would you be willing to submit a paper about it to our journal: SkinMed?

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Posted by: visuth_79 Posted on: 11/14/2008

i am infected hansen disease(BL)since 2003 and i take my MDT from 2005 to 2007 but problem is some nodules appears in my body, when i take prednisolene then its disappear,so, please tell me can i prevent this disease and how long i take prednisolene?

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Posted by: guest Posted on: 03/05/2008

well.... i find your website very educational.i was reading about my disease (leprosy) and i found out alot of interesting facts. thanks to you...,i have been cured! god bless your soul!

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