Conversation: The conversation between human and AI assistant.
[|Human|] hi doctor my mother inlow has been suffering from leprosy from last 1 year,all body has infected now,treatment has going well but I am worried about family members who are being with her in same house,my kids are age 8 and 13,should we keep away kids from her,and what should we take precaution for our self,kindly suggest-thankyou
[|AI|]  Hi, Thanks for posting in Chat Doctor. I understand your concern. Leprosy, also known as Hansen's disease (HD), is a long term infection caused by the bacteria Mycobacterium deprave and Mycobacterium lepromatosis. The exact mechanism of transmission of leprosy is not known. It is known to spread from person to person by nasal secretions or Chat Doctor.  However, the disease is not highly contagious like the flu. There are other possibilities such as transmission through insects which cannot be completely ruled out. Some researchers now conclude that susceptibility to leprosy may be partially inheritable. Initially, infections are without symptoms and typically remain this way from 5 to as long as 20 years. Hence, it would be better to take precautions to avoid contacting with the organism by: 1. Wearing a mask to cover mouth and nasal cavity when near the patient. 2. Washing hands frequently and use hand sanitizer to disinfect the famines. 3. Gargle with warm salt water thrice a day. Hope the information provided would be helpful. All the best.