Children Susceptible Of Contracting Leprosy

Bogor, West Java, March 13 (Antara) - Children are susceptible of contracting leprosy, dr Khuswatun Hasanah of Sehat Terpadu Dompet Duafa Hospital in Bogor, West Java, said on Wednesday. The doctor made the statement after a 7-year boy, Aprijal, was infected with leprosy and admitted to that hospital for treatment. "The spread of leprosy is still mysterious, but Aprijal case indicates that children are susceptible of contracting leprosy," dr Khuswatun noted. According to her, body resistance to disease was another factor of being contracted with leprosy, who incubation period was two to five years. "If someone has weak body resistance, the virus of the bacillus mycobacterium leprae that causes the disease can be transmuted to him or her," Khuswatun said. She explained that the leprosy being suffered by Aprijal was believed to have come from his father, Jiung (48), a leper. A person can catch the disease only if he or she comes into close and repeated contact with nose and mouth droplets from untreated lepers. The main symptom of leprosy is disfiguring skin sores, lumps, or bumps that do not go away after several weeks or months with the skin sores are pale-colored. But without treatment, the disease can lead to permanent nerve damage and muscle paralysis.