Leprosy Infection in Married Couples and Type of these Patients

Abstract

Leprosy infection in married couple is relative rare and of about 6000 patients in the Tama Zenshoen Leprosarium, 20 cases (0.33%) has been observed. The husband was the source of infection in 12 of the 20 cases (60%) and the wife in 8 cases (40%); the wife being infected in 60% and the husband in 40%.
The type of infection in the source was lepromatous (L) for the most part and 1 case of the tuberculoid (T) type, and moderate to severe in degree. In those that had become infected, the (T) type was predominant with 14 (70%) and there were 6 cases (30%) of the (L) type. Compared to the ratio of (T) 33.5% and (L) 66.5% among all the cases in the leprosarium, these findings are worthy of note. The predominance of the (T) type may be due to early dis-covery before progression to (L), greater resistance in the adult, less sensitivity or other factors but further study is required.