Second case of leprosy reported in Ireland

A second case of leprosy has been confirmed in Ireland in the Dublin North East region.

The case was notified to the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) by the HSE NE in June.

According to the HSE, no cases were officially reported in Ireland between 1981 and 2012 when leprosy was on the list of notifiable diseases .

The first case of leprosy was notified to the HSE in January and involved a Brazilian man in his 30s who attended a GP clinic in Co Meath. He contracted the disease in his home country a decade earlier.

Both cases involved a recurrence of leprosy. Neither was contracted in Ireland.

Leprosy is a curable chronic infectious disease. When left untreated, it can cause permanent damage to the skin nerves limbs and eyes, however disability can be avoided when treatment is provided during early stages of the disease. It is transmitted via droplets, from the nose and mouth, during close and frequent contacts with untreated cases.

The incubation period of the disease is about five years and symptoms can take up to 20 years to appear after the initial infection because the bacteria multiply very slowly. Despite its reputation, leprosy is not highly infectious and is curable.