Leprosy and sir often difficult to distinguish because both cause patches on the skin. Dermatologist from the Indonesian Dermatology and Venereology Association (Perdoski) and the Secretary of the Morbus Hansen Indonesia Study Group (KSMHI) Dr. Zunarsih, SpKK said there are several differences between leprosy and tinea versicolor.
Dr. Zunarsih said that to differentiate between tinea versicolor and leprosy the first, the spots that arise due to leprosy are initially small, but gradually become large. Then, from a little can become a lot.
“For example someone with tinea versicolor, within 1 to 2 weeks he immediately got a lot. So if the skin has white spots like tinea versicolor, he is given tinea versicolor medicine but it doesn’t heal, well that’s usually leprosy, “explained Dr. Zunarsih in the 2021 World Leprosy Day Media Meeting, Friday (29/1/2021).
In addition, Dr. Zunarsih added, leprosy patches attack nerves, so the white patches tend to be drier than the surrounding skin.
“How do you know more dry? If you feel it, it is usually more rough and scaly, then if the patient sweats, the area around him is wet with sweat, and the white spot area will not sweat, that’s one of the signs,” he concluded.
The Ministry of Health of the Republic of Indonesia recorded that there were more than 9 thousand new cases of leprosy in 2020. The number of cases decreased compared to 2019 with 17,439 new cases.
The total number of leprosy cases registered at the Ministry of Health has reached 16,704 cases. Meanwhile, Director of Prevention and Control of Direct Contagious Diseases (P2PML) Dr. Siti Nadia Tarmizi, MEpid said that of the total cases, 9.14 percent of children were affected by leprosy.
“This means that it is quite high, there are still cases of leprosy in children, which means transmission from the closest person from the person in the house to the child caregiver,” said Dr. Nadia at the 2021 World Leprosy Day Media Meeting, Friday (29/1/2021).
Watch Video “The Story of Asra, who used to be ridiculed by having a disabled mother because of leprosy“
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