Leprosy
Mailing List, December 8th, 2008
Ref.: Steroid
therapy in leprosy should be individualised.
From: Nunzi
E., Genoa, Italy
Dear
Salvatore,
Leprosy
is a bacterial disease where the immune system is strongly involved.
This is particularly true in the hyperergic forms of the disease.
We use MDT against the bacteria and steroids to control the
immunologic hyper-reactivity (reaction) that may damage peripheral
nerves and, in type two reaction also eyes, testes, kidneys and
so on.
In
each patient there is a unique relationship between the bacterial load
and the immunologic reaction. The
latter tends to increase following the decreasing, with therapy, of
the bacterial load. Therefore
there is no rational for a standard protocol of treatment for all
patients. Naafs and Kar
in their messages have correctly pointed out respectively, that
leprosy is a disease with a “spectrum” and its treatment should be
individualised.
Enrico Nunzi
