Taking a long hard look at mountain leprosy

Vectors of the disease

A blood parasite bearing the name Leishmania causes mountain leprosy. The parasite in question is frequently present in the blood of small mammals such as foxes, rodents and even dogs. The bridge for infection to man is a small insect called the phlebotomine or sandfly.

Contamination

The sandfly is a two or three millimetre long, two-winged insect. Its habitat is shaded places along river banks and forests. This explains why sufferers from the disease are usually found in remote areas. The sandfly usually bites people at nightfall, infecting them at the same time. It is unwise to wash the household linen on a riverbank at dusk.

Variants

The disease takes a number of forms :

• First of all, it is the cutaneous version which causes chronic ulcers that call to mind leprosy proper. This is why it is popularly known as mountain leprosy. The ulcers form where the sandfly inserted its sting and, in the course of a few months, these turn into scars.
• There is a mucocutaneous form, involving the lining of the nose and throat. This is often the results of improper treatment of the cutaneous infection. It rages, above all, on the American continent.
• Then there is the visceral version, or kala azar, which is the most deadly. Ninety per cent of persons infected in this way die in less than two years if not treated.
• There is an atypical version which produces nodules on the face. These disappear after a few months or years without leaving any scars. However, the fear is always that this kind of infection will become visceral. Studies to ascertain this are currently underway.

The consequences

The consequences of contamination will always be dependent upon the type of mountain leprosy the person is suffering from, namely, nodules on the face, chronic ulcers or anaemia, finally leading to death.

How to find out more about the consequences